Problems and Possibilities of Apomixis in the Improvement of Tropical Forage Grasses

Apomixis (asexual seed development) is an important method of reproduction in perennial grasses and has been reported in more than 125 species. Apospory is the most important mechanism of apomixis in the forage grasses, but diplospory has been reported in a few species. Both apospory and diplospory may occur in either obligate or facultative form. The role of apomixis in species formation is especially evident in genera which contain related sexual and apomictic species capable of hybridization and production of new forms. Plant geneticists have long recognized the potential of apomixis in plant breeding if the reproductive processes could be completely controlled. Successful use of vegetatively propagated hybrids clearly indicated the efficiency possible with obligate apomicts in which hybrids could be reproduced indefinitely by seed. G. W. Burton and I. Forbes, Jr. reported successful manipulation and control of obligate apomixis in bahiagrass in 1960.