O capim-marandu baixo no início do diferimento melhora a morfologia do pasto e aumenta o desempenho dos ovinos no inverno / The low marandu palisadegrass at the beginning of stockpiling improves pasture morphology and increases sheep performance in winter

Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos de quatro alturas (15, 25, 35 e 45cm) da Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu (capim-marandu) no início do diferimento sobre a morfologia do pasto, a seletividade e o desempenho de ovinos no início, meio e fim do período de pastejo, no inverno. Foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições. Os pastos diferidos com 35 e 45cm apresentaram maiores massas de forragem do que aqueles diferidos com 15 e 25cm. O pasto diferido com 15cm apresentou maior porcentagem de folha e menor percentual de colmo morto, em comparação aos demais pastos. A seleção por folha morta aumentou no período de pastejo. Em geral, nos pastos diferidos mais altos, os percentuais de folha viva foram menores e os de colmo morto, maiores nas amostras de pastejo simulado. O desempenho dos ovinos foi superior no pasto diferido com 15cm, intermediário nos pastos diferidos com 25 e 35cm, e inferior no pasto diferido com 45cm. A manutenção do capim-marandu com 15cm no início do diferimento resulta em pasto com melhor morfologia, otimiza a seletividade e aumenta o desempenho dos ovinos no inverno.(AU)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of four heights (15, 25, 35, and 45cm) of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu (marandu palisadegrass) at the beginning of the deferment period on the pasture morphology, selectivity, and performance of sheep during the beginning, middle and end of the grazing period in winter. A completely randomized design with three replications was used. Deferred pastures with 35 and 45cm presented larger forage masses than those deferred with 15 and 25cm. Deferred pasture with 15cm presented a higher percentage of live leaf and a lower percentage of dead stem. Dead leaf selection increased during the grazing period. In general, in the higher deferred pastures, the percentages of live leaf were lower and those of dead stalk, higher in the samples of simulated grazing. The sheep performance was higher in the 15cm pasture, intermediate in the 25 and 35cm pastures, and inferior in the 45cm pasture. The maintenance of marandu palisadegrass with 15cm at the beginning of the deferment period results in deferred pasture with better morphology, optimizes the selectivity and the increase the performance of the sheep in the pasture deferred during the winter.(AU)

Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolomics Reveals Key Differences between Brachiaria decumbens and B. brizantha, Two Similar Pastures with Different Toxicities.

Several species of Brachiaria (Poaceae) currently cover extensive grazing areas in Brazil, providing valuable source of feed for a large cattle population. However, numerous cases of toxicity outbreaks in livestock have raised concerns on safety of using these plants, especially B. decumbens. In this study, chemometric analysis of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-high-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HR-QTOF-MS) data has for the first time uncovered qualitative and quantitative differences between metabolomes of toxic B. decumbens and nontoxic B. brizantha. The steroidal saponin protoneodioscin was established as the main biomarker for B. decumbens when compared to B. brizantha, and therefore the key explanation for their phytochemical differentiation. Quantification of protodioscin in both plants showed no significant differences; consequently, the idea that this compound is solely responsible for toxicity outbreaks must be discarded. Instead, we propose that the added occurrence of its stereoisomer, protoneodioscin, in B. decumbens, can be considered as the probable cause of these events. Interestingly, the greatest concentrations of saponins for both species were reached during winter (B. decumbens = 53.6 ± 5.1 mg·g(-1) dry weight (D.W.); B. brizantha = 25.0 ± 1.9 mg·g(-1) D.W.) and spring (B. decumbens = 49.4 ± 5.0 mg·g(-1) D.W.; B. brizantha = 27.9 ± 1.4 mg·g(-1) D.W.), although in the case of B. decumbens these values do not vary significantly among seasons.

Identification of a locus characteristic of male individuals of buffalo grass [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] by using an RAPD marker.

Buffalo grass [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] plants can be either male, female, or hermaphrodite (monoecious). As there is no morphological difference in the early vegetative growth of these three classes of plants, it is worthwhile to use molecular biological methods to attempt to identify the sex of a plant at this early growth period. In this study, we identified 23 plants that had a stable sex for over at least 3 years. Of these, 9 were male plants, 10 were female plants, and 4 were hermaphrodites. Screening of 300 RAPD primers identified a primer, namely S211 (5'-ttccccgcga-3'), which is capable of identifying male plants. The specific fragment was cloned, sequenced, and submitted to the GenBank database (accession No. JN982469). When used to identify the sex of 188 plants during their first growing season, the S211 primer correctly identified 85.8% of all male plants. Our results showed that the S211 primer can identify the male, and in doing so, it facilitates buffalo grass breeding work.

Perfil de ácidos graxos no leite de vacas holandês em pastagens tropicais suplementadas com dois níveis de concentrado / Milk fatty acids profile of Holstein cows grazing tropical forages supplemented with two concentrate levels

Milk fatty acids profile was evaluated using 12 Holstein cows producing 15 kg/day of milk with 4.0% of fat. The animals were assigned to four treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (two tropical grasses - Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés and Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania, supplemented with two concentrate levels - 3 and 6 kg/cow/day) in a completely randomized block design. There was no effect of forage and concentrate level (P>0.05) on concentrations of rumenic, vaccenic, (C18: 1 trans-11) and oleic acids in milk fat (mean values of 1.01, 1.79, and 22.55 g/100 g of total fatty acids, respectively). The concentrations of lauric (C12:0), myristic (C14:0), and palmitic (C16:0) acids were also unaffected by treatments (mean values of 2.63, 9.77, and 27.44g/100g of total fatty acids, respectively). Overall, the results illustrate the potential of tropical grasses in producing milk containing a more desirable fatty acids profile in terms of human health.

Qualidade de silagem de cultivares de brachiaria brizantha ensilado com diferentes níveis de farelo de milheto / Silage quality of brachiaria brizantha cultivars ensiled with different levels of millet meal

The silage quality of Brachiaria brizantha cultivars ensiled with different levels of millet meal was evaluated. The experimental design was a completely randomized with three replications in a factorial 3 x 4, with three cultivars of Brachiaria brizantha: marandu, xaraés, and piatã and four levels of millet meal 0, 5, 10, and 15 percent. The addition of millet meal improved the quality of B. brizantha silage. The inclusion of the additive at 15 percent provided the best nutritional values. The piatã silage had the lowest contents of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin and the highest content of total digestible nutrients, being a better quality silage as compared to those of xaraés and marandu grasses.

Avaliou-se a qualidade de silagem de cultivares de Brachiaria brizantha ensilados com diferentes níveis de farelo de milheto. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições, em esquema fatorial 3 x 4, sendo, três cultivares de Brachiaria brizantha: marandu, xaraés e piatã e quatro níveis de farelo de milheto: 0, 5, 10 e 15 por cento. A adição de farelo de milheto melhorou a qualidade das silagens de cultivares de B. brizantha. A inclusão de 15 por cento do aditivo proporcionou os melhores valores nutritivos. A silagem de capim-piatã apresentou os menores teores de fibra em detergente neutro, de fibra em detergente ácido e de lignina, e o maior teor de nutrientes digestíveis totais, mostrando ser de melhor qualidade quando comparada com as silagens de capim-xaraés e capim-marandu.

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis of the tropical pasture grass Brachiaria humidicola based on microsatellites, cytogenetics, morphological traits, and geographical origin.

Brachiaria humidicola (Rendle) Schweick. is a warm-season grass commonly used as forage in the tropics. Accessions of this species were collected in eastern Africa and massively introduced into South America in the 1980s. Several of these accessions form a germplasm collection at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. However, apomixis, ploidy, and limited knowledge of the genetic basis of this germplasm collection have constrained breeding activities. The objectives of this work were to identify genetic variability in the Brazilian B. humidicola germplasm collection using microsatellite markers and to compare the results with information on the following: (1) collection sites of the accessions; (2) reproductive mode and ploidy levels; and (3) genetic diversity revealed by morphological traits. The evaluated germplasm population is highly structured into four major groups. The sole sexual accession did not group with any of the clusters. Genetic dissimilarities did not correlate with either geographic distances or genetic distances inferred from morphological descriptors. Additionally, the genetic structure identified in this collection did not correspond to differences in ploidy level. Alleles exclusive to either sexual or apomictic accessions were identified, suggesting that further evaluation of the association of these loci with apospory should be carried out.

Avaliação da Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu em sistemas silvipastoris / Evaluation of Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu in silvopastoral systems

Avaliou-se a degradabilidade in situ da matéria seca (MS) da Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu colhida em dois sistemas silvipastoris compostos pelas arbóreas, ipê felpudo (Zeyheria tuberculosa) e aroeira (Myracrodruon urundeuva), localizados no bioma Cerrado, município de Lagoa Santa, MG. O período de coleta da forragem foi de dezembro de 2004 a abril de 2005. O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, segundo esquema de parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas os tratamentos e as sub-parcelas os tempos de degradação. O sombreamento com as arbóreas não influenciou a degradabilidade in situ da matéria seca da forrageira.

In situ degradability of dry matter of Brachiaria brizantha cv. marandu harvested in two silvopastoral systems was evaluated. One system was composed by Zeyheria tuberculosa tree and the other by Myracrodruon urundeuva, both located at Brazilian Savannah, Lagoa Santa, MG. A completely ramdomized block experimental design in a splitplot arrangement was used. The treatments were allocated in the plots and the times in the splitplot. No effect of shade was observed for in situ dry matter degradability.

Meiotic behaviour in three interspecific three-way hybrids between Brachiaria ruziziensis and B. brizantha (Poaceae: Paniceae).

The meiotic behaviour of three three-way interspecific promising hybrids (H17, H27, and H34) was evaluated. These hybrids resulted from the crosses between B. ruziziensis X B. brizantha and crossed to another B. brizantha. Two half-sib hybrids (H27 and H34) presented an aneuploid chromosome number (2n = 4x = 33), whereas hybrid H17 was a tetraploid (2n = 4x = 36), as expected. Chromosome paired predominantly as multivalents suggesting that genetic recombination and introgression of specific target genes from B. brizantha into B. ruziziensis can be expected. Arrangement of parental genomes in distinct metaphase plates was observed in H27 and H34, which have different male genitors. Hybrids H17 and H34 have the same male genitor, but did not display this abnormality. In H17, abnormalities were more frequent from anaphase II, when many laggard chromosomes appeared, suggesting that each genome presented a different genetic control for meiotic phase timing. Despite the phylogenetic proximity among these two species, these three hybrids presented a high frequency of meiotic abnormalities, mainly those related to irregular chromosome segregation typical of polyploids, H34, 69.1%; H27, 56.1% and H17, 44.9%. From the accumulated results obtained through cytological studies in Brachiaria hybrids, it is evident that cytogenetical analysis is of prime importance in determining which genotypes can continue in the process of cultivar development and which can be successfully used in the breeding. Hybrids with high frequency of meiotic abnormalities can seriously compromise seed production, a key trait in assuring adoption of a new apomictic cultivar of Brachiaria for pasture formation.

El tiempo de establecimiento de pasturas y su relacion con la micorriza arbuscular en paisajes de loma y vega / Time of Stablishment of Pastures and Their Relationship with Arbuscular Mycorrhiza in Hilly Terrain and Fertile Valley

El presente trabajo fue realizado para evaluar el efecto del tiempo (0-5 años, 5-10 años y más de 10 años) de establecimiento de pasturas de Brachiaria sp. sobre las poblaciones de hongos de micorriza arbuscular (HMA), su distribución de esporas, géneros, longitud de micelio extramatrical, colonización radical por HMA y otros hongos, en sistemas donde previamente existían bosques, en paisajes de loma y vega en Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia. Cualquiera que sea la edad de establecimiento de la pastura, predominan los géneros Glomus y Acaulospora; el cambio de la cobertura requiere de un periodo de más de diez años para que diferentes especies de HMA puedan recolonizar, adaptarse y diversificarse. En loma, la relación de Brachiaria sp. con los HMA disminuye con la edad, especialmente después de diez años; en vega se mantiene media y estable (21-50 por ciento), mientras la colonización radical por hongos diferentes a los HMA se incrementa, mostrando posiblemente un mecanismo de competencia por el espacio radical, o una acción conjunta. Finalmente, el micelio extramatrical y las esporas en loma y vega siguen tendencias variables (incremento, descenso o estabilidad) con la edad.

Molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis of Brachiaria and Urochloa (Poaceae).

The taxonomic relationships of Brachiaria and Urochloa have been questioned based on previous morphological studies. In this paper, we reconsider the phylogenetic relationships of these genera using 22 species of Brachiaria and Urochloa and six species of Paniceae as out-groups. The ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 region (internal transcribed spacer) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and eight morphological characters of the inflorescence were compiled into a data matrix. The cladistic analyses suggest that Urochloa-Brachiaria as a complex is paraphyletic with Eriochloa and Melinis. Species of all these genera share molecular synapomorphies and belong to the same monophyletic groups. The results confirm the continuous gradation between those genera previously found in several morphological studies. Therefore, the following eight new combinations are made: Urochloa bovonei (Chiov.) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa dura (Stapf) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa dura var. dura (Stapf) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa dura var. pilosa (J.G. Anderson) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa lachnantha (Hochst.) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa leersioides (Hochst.) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa nigropedata (Munro ex Ficalho & Hiern) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, and Urochloa subulifolia (Mez) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton.