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Cenchrus

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Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources

Abstract

Cenchrus is a species-rich grass genus of the tropical world. Out of the 25 species recorded, three are planted for forage across the world, with Cenchrus ciliaris being the most valued. C. ciliaris is new to cultivation and has not gone through bottleneck of domestication, due to which extreme variability exists in the wild at interspecific level. Apart from this species, other species also have been shown to have the potential for forage production and more tolerance toward harsh conditions. C. pennisetiformis and C. setiger have the capability to withstand heat and frost and can grow on wide range of soil types and can be used for improvement of C. ciliaris. The species C. ciliaris has also been studied extensively for another agronomical trait “apomixis,” which promises rich dividends, if deciphered. This trait leads to the production of seeds without fertilization which produce plants that are genetically the exact copy of their female parent. However, apomixis creates hurdles in breeding and improvement programs in Cenchrus.

The genus Cenchrus is a promising source of pasture grass and is a potential weed source that demands attention if its full potential has to be realized. This chapter summarizes the cytology, phylogenetic relationship, and breeding efforts to improve the forage quality and efforts made to decipher the apomixis mechanism in the genus Cenchrus. It also underlines the dearth of studies in genus Cenchrus besides the species C. ciliaris.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    S. N. Raina

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  1. S. Goel
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  2. H. D. Singh
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  3. S. N. Raina
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Correspondence to S. N. Raina .

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  1. Institute of Nutraceutical Research, Clemson University, Jordan Hall 109, Clemson, 29634, South Carolina, USA

    Chittaranjan Kole

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Goel, S., Singh, H.D., Raina, S.N. (2011). Cenchrus . In: Kole, C. (eds) Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-14255-0_3

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