Species of the genus Brachiaria originate primarily from Africa, where they are constituents of natural grasslands. Due to their adaptation to acidic, low-fertility soils, millions of hectares of Brachiaria species have been sown as improved pastures in South and Central America, especially B. brizantha cv. Marandu and B. decumbens cv. Basilisk. Due to B. decumbens' susceptibility to spittlebug insect pests in the Americas, CIAT in Colombia and EMBRAPA in Brazil initiated breeding programmes in the 1980s. First cultivars released from CIAT's breeding programmecvs. Mulato and Mulato-IIhave also been investigated in African countries. They have been examined for integration in conservation agriculture systems (Madagascar), for drought and acidic soil tolerance (Rwanda) and for intercropping forages in dairy systems (Uganda, Madagascar), among others. Seed sales to African countries suggest that an area of at least 1,000 ha has been sown so far. The largest adoption of cv. Mulato-II is currently happening in eastern Africa, where it is used by over 20,000 farmers as a trap plant in the push-pull system for control of maize stem borers and parasitic Striga weed. Cv. Mulato-II's particular advantage is its relatively high crude protein content due to greater leafiness and thinner stems than those of traditional Napier grass, resulting in higher nutritive quality. Yet new pest challenges have emerged, requiring further research attention. Diverse hybrids are in the pipeline for release, among them those that are suitable for cut-and-carry systems which are prevalent in eastern Africa. This paper reviews research, development and incipient adoption of new Brachiaria hybrids in African countries.

A brachiaria breeding program initiated in 1988 at CIAT (Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali, Colombia) combined desirable attributes found in accessions of Brachiaria brizantha and B. decumbens. Three apomictic hybrids have been released (cvv. Mulato, Mulato II and Cayman). Mulato showed agronomic potential but seed yields were low. Trials in Central America demonstrated the superiority of Mulato II, a vigorous grass with deep and branched roots, giving it excellent drought tolerance in the Brazilian Cerrado and Mexico, plus outstanding nutritional value. Following trials in Mexico and Thailand, evaluating 155 new hybrids for 7 years, cv. Cayman was released due to strong waterlogging tolerance. Research on production, quality and seed yields of brachiaria hybrids in Asia, the Americas and Africa from 2003 to 2013 is summarized in this paper. ResumenUn programa de mejoramiento de brachiaria iniciado en 1988 en el CIAT (Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali, Colombia) combinó los atributos deseables encontrados en accesiones de Brachiaria brizantha y B. decumbens y condujo a la liberación de 3 híbridos apomícticos (cvs. Mulato, Mulato II y Cayman). Mulato mostró potencial agronómico pero la producción de semilla fue baja. Ensayos conducidos en Centroamérica demostraron la superioridad de Mulato II, un pasto de crecimiento vigoroso y con raíces profundas y ramificadas que proporcionan excelente resistencia a la sequía en el Cerrado brasileño y México. Mulato II también tiene un valor nutritivo sobresaliente. Después de ensayos en México y Tailandia, evaluando 155 nuevos híbridos durante 7 años, cv. Cayman fue liberado debido a su alta tolerancia de inundación. En este trabajo se resume la investigación conducida en Asia, las Américas y África durante 2003−20013, sobre la producción, calidad y rendimiento de semilla de híbridos de brachiaria.

The aim of this study was to determine the production of improved Brachiaria grass in comparison with indigenous Brachiaria under low rainfall and aluminium toxicity areas of Rwanda. Three varieties and five hybrids of Brachiaria grass from CIAT and two local grasses (control) were used for on-farm participatory trials without fertilizer application. Twelve farms were selected in each study area and on each farm ten grasses were established in 2 × 3 m plots. Herbage was harvested six times during the year at two monthly intervals. Each cut, dry matter (DM) was measured. The crude protein (CP), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) were also measured once in the wet season and once in the dry season. In the low rainfall area, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Toledo and Brachiaria decumbens (local) had the highest DM yields (5.71 and 5.61 t ha -1 respectively), while DM of the rest of the grasses ranged from 1.2 to 5.13 t ha -1 . In the acidic soil area, Brachiaria hybrid Bro2/1485 had higher DM (5.95 t ha -1 ) than the rest of the grasses (1 to 4.47 t ha -1 ). The highest quality grass was Brachiaria hybrid Bro2/1485 which obtained a CP value of 12.15% in the low rainfall area, whereas in the acidic soil area hybrid cv. Mulato II obtained the highest CP value of 11.6%. In the low rainfall area the Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato obtained a high mean Ca value of 2.15% while in the acidic soil area, cv. Marandu obtained a high Ca value of 2.41% during the wet and dry seasons. The cv. Toledo had high P (0.28%) compared to the other grasses (0.07 to 0.11%) in the low rainfall area. In the acidic soil area, the Brachiaria hybrid Bro2/1485 had high P of 0.53% as compared to other grasses in which P varied between 0.16 and 0.47%. Local control grasses had lower nutrients than the improved Brachiaria grass in the low rainfall and acidic soil area. Although, Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato II was not the most productive grass, it was selected by farmers as the preferred cultivar at both sites because of its adaptability to low rainfall and acidic soil stress, and its production of green forage year round without any input of fertilizer.

This study was planned to analyse the basis that make Brachiaria species with greater feeding value than Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) for lactating dairy cows. Forty lactating crossbred cows were stall-fed on Brachiariabrizantha cv. Piatá or Napier grass cv. French Cameroon supplemented (mixed on fresh matter basis) or unsupplemented with Desmodium distortum, a forage legume. All cows were fed on fresh matter basis under small-holder farming conditions. Results showed that B. brizantha cv. Piatá had higher contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and organic matter (OM), but lower contents of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) than Napier grass (P < 0.001). The legume supplementation increased intakes of CP and metabolizable energy (ME; P < 0.001), with higher effect on cows fed B. brizantha cv. Piatá than on cows fed Napier grass. Average daily milk yield was lower on diets based on Napier grass than those based on B. brizantha cv. Piatá (P < 0.001). The retention time of the particle phase of digesta in the digestive tract was longer on Napier grass (83.1 h) than on B. brizantha cv. Piatá (62.8 h) (P < 0.05). It was concluded that in dairy cows, legume supplementation of B. brizantha cv. Piatá increases nutrient intake, hence resulting in higher milk yields than supplementation of Napier grass.

Smallholder dairy farmers in Rwanda use diversity of resources to cope with endemic feed shortages. However, there is inadequate real farm data to support farmer decisions on choices of options. The main objective of this study was to evaluate nutritional quality of feed types that farmers use in different agro-ecological zones of Rwanda. Samples of feed types were collected from 90 randomly selected households in the low- and mid-high-altitude zones of Rwanda and analysed for proximate composition, contents of metabolisable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and neutral detergent fibre digestibility (NDFd). Rumen fermentation characteristics and efficiency of energy utilisation were examined by determining partitioning factor (PF). Results showed that only five out of 24 feed types were common in both districts. Chemical composition, OMD, ME, NDFd and PF of these feed types differed significantly (P < 0.05) in their nutritional attributes. This suggests that a common feed composition table can be used as a component of the decision support tool for rational feed resource development and utilisation in the smallholder farms in the selected agro-ecologies of Rwanda.