An evaluation of plant materials and procedures for developing nutritionally superior lines of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.)

Abstract

Sixty-six buffelgrass hybrids representing four crosses and sexual and apomictic methods of reproduction were evaluated for in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and cell-uall digestibility (IV/CUD). Percent leaves and cell-uall content (NDF) were determined for 147 hybrids. Plants were harvested at two dates at head emergence and were separated in to leaves and stems for the laboratory analyses. Simple linear correlations were used to determine relationships between leafiness and IVDMD, NDF and IVDMD, NDF and IUCUD, and Il/CUD and IVDMD in the 66 hybrids. Differences among hybrids and the influence of parentage and method of reproduction on percent leaves were statistically significant suggesting heritable differences in the species. Low correlations between leafiness and Il/DMD indicated no useful relationship for predicting digestibility in buffelgrass. ...