Description
Prior to 1988 Brachiaria improvement was based exclusively on the collection, introduction, and evaluation of natural germplasm from Africa. Breeding programs in Brachiaria have been possible only in the past 10 years with the creation of a sexual, tetraploid B. ruziziensis cross-compatible with B. decumbens and B. brizantha. Applied Brachiaria breeding projects are underway both in Colombia (International Center for Tropical Agriculture, CIAT) and Brazil (National Centre for Beef Cattle Research - Brazilian Corporation for Agricultural Research, CNPGC/EMBRAPA). These seek to combine the broad edaphic adaptation and other desirable agronomic attributes of B. decumbens cv. Basilisk with spittlebug resistance. An accumulation of basic biological knowledge of the plant has facilitated genetic manipulation. Significant genetic progress has been achieved. Major constraints to further progress in breeding Brachiaria include the cost and imprecision of evaluation methodologies.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Advances in Breeding Apomictic Brachiaria in Tropical America
Prior to 1988 Brachiaria improvement was based exclusively on the collection, introduction, and evaluation of natural germplasm from Africa. Breeding programs in Brachiaria have been possible only in the past 10 years with the creation of a sexual, tetraploid B. ruziziensis cross-compatible with B. decumbens and B. brizantha. Applied Brachiaria breeding projects are underway both in Colombia (International Center for Tropical Agriculture, CIAT) and Brazil (National Centre for Beef Cattle Research - Brazilian Corporation for Agricultural Research, CNPGC/EMBRAPA). These seek to combine the broad edaphic adaptation and other desirable agronomic attributes of B. decumbens cv. Basilisk with spittlebug resistance. An accumulation of basic biological knowledge of the plant has facilitated genetic manipulation. Significant genetic progress has been achieved. Major constraints to further progress in breeding Brachiaria include the cost and imprecision of evaluation methodologies.
