Con el fin de identificar la mejor variedad de banderita (Bouteloua curtipendula) con el mayor potencial de establecimiento y productividad, se evaluaron cinco variedades comerciales usadas en rehabilitación de pastizales: Niner (Ni), Vaughn (Va), El Reno (Re), Kansas-6107 (K-07) y Kansas-6113 (K-13). Se realizaron dos pruebas bajo condiciones de invernadero con una duración de 77 días. Las variables evaluadas en la prueba unos fueron: emergencia (% EM), densidad de plantas, altura de planta, materia seca del primer corte, altura de rebrote, materia seca de rebrote y supervivencia (% SV). Las variables evaluadas en la prueba dos fueron: longitud de raíz, altura de biomasa aérea y proporción radícula-biomasa aérea. Los datos se analizaron mediante componentes principales, conglomerados y un MANOVA en SAS. Las gráficas de dispersión y dendograma se obtuvieron con MINITAB. Los dos primeros componentes explicaron el 77 % de la variación. Se presentaron diferencias (P<0.05) en la mayoría de las variables, solo % EM y % SV no tuvieron significancia. El CP 2 presentó correlación (r= 85.1 %; P<0.0001) con % SV. El análisis de conglomerados integró tres grupos (G): G-1 (Ni y Va) G-II (Re) y G-III (K-07 y K-13). De acuerdo al análisis multivariado, se clasificaron las variedades por importancia productiva: Ni y Va no presentaron diferencia, pero éstas fueron superiores (P<0.05) al resto de las variedades. Las variedades Vaughn y Niner presentaron el más alto potencial forrajero, El Reno presentó un comportamiento intermedio, y las variedades Kansas-6107 y Kansas-6113 fueron las de menor productividad.

La escasez de semilla de pastos forrajeros en el norte de México es una limitante para emprender programas de recuperación de pastizales. Por lo anterior, es importante considerar la diversidad y evaluar el potencial de producción de semilla que presentan algunas especies nativas apomícticas como el pasto banderita [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] en poblaciones naturales. El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar la diversidad morfológica de la inflorescencia de poblaciones de pasto Banderita en México, para seleccionar genotipos con potencial para producción de semilla. Se recolectaron y establecieron ex situ 168 genotipos procedentes de 10 estados de la República Mexicana. Se evaluó la morfología de la inflorescencia durante la etapa de madurez fisiológica de la semilla con los descriptores: longitud de inflorescencia (LIN), ramillas por inflorescencia (RPI), espiguillas por ramilla (EPR), longitud de ramilla (LRM), longitud de raquis (LRQ), longitud de pedicelo (LPD) y peso de semilla (PSEM). Las variables ambientales de procedencia de los genotipos se clasificaron en tres categorías (alta, media y baja) de altitud (ALT) y precipitación media anual (PPma). Los datos se analizaron mediante técnicas de análisis multivariado usando el paquete SAS. Se encontró variabilidad morfológica entre grupos de genotipos. Los tres primeros componentes principales (CP) explicaron el 72 % de la variación total observada. Los pseudo estadísticos F y T2 sugieren la formación de cuatro grupos (G) con un R2 = 0.76 y con diferenciación multivariada (P < 0.001) entre sí. La mayoría de los grupos se asociaron a las categorías media de ALT y PPma. Se encontró variabilidad y diferenciación de genotipos con alto potencial para producción de semilla, donde sobresale el G1 para esta característica. En México se dispone de riqueza genética de pasto Banderita para producción de semilla. Los genotipos que mostraron el mayor potencial para producción de semilla fueron: 1 y 7 originarios de Aguascalientes, 84 de Jalisco, y 508 y 512 de Chihuahua.

No abstract

La radiación gamma puede ser utilizada para conocer el rango de radiosensibilidad (RRS) en pastos con fines de mejoramiento genético por mutagénesis. El pasto rosado es una especie invasora que puede ser mejorada en valor nutricional u otras características. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la dosis óptima de radiación gamma para inducir mutaciones efectivas en pasto rosado mediante dosis letal media (DL50) y reducción media de crecimiento (GR50). El estudio fue realizado en campo, laboratorio e invernadero. De acuerdo a la media ponderada de las variables incluidas en LD50 y GR50, la dosis óptima se estimó a los 304 Gy. Los resultados de este estudio permiten conocer el RRS para la aplicación de radiación gamma óptima con Co60, que pueda inducir características futuras de interés económico y ecológico en el pasto rosado.

In Mexico, buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) was introduced in the middle of the 20th century. Currently, buffelgrass has become an invasive species and has colonized various ecosystems in the country. In addition to its invasive capacity, climate change is a factor that has to be taken into account when considering how to effectively manage and control this species. The climatic niche models (CNM) and their projections for climate change scenarios allow for estimating the extent of biological invasions. Our study aimed to calibrate a CNM for buffelgrass in Mexico under the current climatic conditions and to project the extent of its biological invasion under climate change scenarios. For that, we used MaxEnt to generate the current CNM and to detect if climate change could cause future changes, we then evaluated the distribution patterns over the periods of 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100 for all the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). Linear regressions were used to compare the outputs between current and future scenarios. Under the current climate, the CNM estimated that 42.2% of the continental surface of Mexico is highly suitable for buffelgrass. The regression analyses indicated no effects from climate change on the distribution of buffelgrass. Moreover, when the projected period is further in the future, and when the SSPs intensify, the surface of suitable areas for the species increases. These analyses clearly suggest Mexico is facing a biological invasion from buffelgrass, which may represent a threat to native biodiversity.

Understanding soil moisture behavior in semi-dry forests is essential for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability. The objective of the study was to analyze soil moisture based in storm observations in three micro-catchments (0.19, 0.20, and 0.27 ha) with similar tree densities, and subject to different thinning intensities in a semi-dry forest in Chihuahua, Mexico. Vegetation, soil characteristics, precipitation, and volumetric water content were measured before thinning (2018), and after 0%, 40%, and 80% thinning for each micro-catchment (2019). Soil moisture was low and relatively similar among the three micro-catchments in 2018 (mean = 8.5%), and only large rainfall events (>30 mm) increased soil moisture significantly (29–52%). After thinning, soil moisture was higher and significantly different among the micro-catchments only during small rainfall events (<10 mm), while a difference was not noted during large events. The difference before–after during small rainfall events was not significant for the control (0% thinning); whereas 40% and 80% thinning increased soil moisture significantly by 40% and 53%, respectively. Knowledge of the response of soil moisture as a result of thinning and rainfall characteristics has important implications, especially for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability.

The stomatal characteristics and chlorophyll concentration are some of the main parameters, to determine plant productivity. The objective of the present study was to characterize the stomatal density and distribution to estimate the chlorophyll concentration and evaluate their effect on the biomass production of sideoatsgrama[Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] genotypes. The experiment was performed from May to July 2015 under greenhouse conditions, at- the School of Animal Sciences and Ecology of the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, Mexico. Three commercial varieties were studied: El Reno, Niner, Vaughn and two native genotypes: E-689 and E-592 of side-oats grama. The variables evaluated were chlorophyll concentration index (CCI), stomatal density (SD), trichome density (TD), stomatal index (SI), and stomatal area (SA). These variables were related to biomass production (BP) applying regression analysis. SD and SI showed a negative effect on BP, while SA and CCI showed a positive effect. The genotype E-689 showed the lowest (p<0.05) SD and SI, with values from 152.7 to 275 stomatal/μm2 and from 13.41 to 16.03%, respectively. In addition, it also presented the highest (p<0.05) SA and BP, with values from 186.7 to 361.7 μm2 and 13.5 to 30.3 g, respectively. In conclusion, genotypes of side-oats grama with lower stomatal density and stomatal index and higher stomatal area and chlorophyll concentration index could produce higher amounts of biomass.

In the past years, several plant breeding programs have been done to select outstanding genotypes of sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) for restoration purposes. Such programs have been focused mainly on agronomic traits; however, little attention has been paid to the genetic structure and environmental adaptation of the selected genotypes. Thus, in this study we evaluated the genetic structure of 85 sideoats grama populations in Mexico. In addition, we modeled the past, present and future environmental niche of the genetic clusters of this species. Ninety sideoats grama populations were genetically analyzed through AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms) markers. The environmental niche of the population clusters was modeled by using the maximum entropy method. The genetic analysis separated the populations into two genetically different clusters (p = 0.0003). The differentiation of these lineages can be partially explained by the paleoclimatic events experienced during the last interglacial and glacial maximums. Consequently, the genetic clusters have different environmental niche at the present time. Suitability areas for the distribution of Cluster I are mainly located in the central part of the country while the environmental niche of Cluster II is located in the semiarid region, close to the mountain range of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Thus, selection and restoration programs with sideoats grama must be carried out using local germplasm from each environmental niche. Given the environmental niche of both genetic clusters will suffer changes in the near and mid-century future, climate change must be considered for genotypes selection and restoration programs.