Effects of leaf and stem maturation on nutritional value in Megathyrsus maximus.

Background: Megathyrsus maximus is a forage grass native to Africa but widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of the world where it is part of the grazing food chain. This study aimed to evaluate five M. maximus genotypes for the effect of maturity on their morpho-agronomic traits, nutritional composition and digestibility, and to correlate their leaf blade and stem anatomy with their nutritional value.

First draft genome of Thecaphora frezii, causal agent of peanut smut disease.

Objectives: The fungal pathogen Thecaphora frezii Carranza & Lindquist causes peanut smut, a severe disease currently endemic in Argentina. To study the ecology of T. frezii and to understand the mechanisms of smut resistance in peanut plants, it is crucial to know the genetics of this pathogen.

Contrasting adaptive responses to cope with drought stress and recovery in Cenchrus ciliaris L. and their implications for tissue lignification.

Cenchrus ciliaris L. is a widely used species for cattle feed in arid and semi-arid regions due to good forage value and known tolerance to drought conditions. Here, we provide insights to adaptive responses of two contrasting genotypes of C.

Genotypic variation in response to salinity in a new sexual germplasm of Cenchrus ciliaris L.

As part of a breeding program for new salt-tolerant sexual genotypes of Cenchrus ciliaris L., here we evaluated the salt-stress response of two new sexual hybrids, obtained by controlled crosses, at seedling and germination stages. A seedling hydroponic experiment with 300 mM NaCl was performed and physiological variables and growth components were evaluated.