Obtaining sexual genotypes for breeding in buffel grass

•Putative hybrids were obtained through controlled crosses.•Off-type plants were selected based on morpho-agronomic traits.•F1 plants with high sexuality level were identified.•Hybrids were identified with AFLP.•The new, highly sexual selected hybrids can be used as female parents to obtain improved cultivars.

Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L. syn. Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link) is a species that is highly tolerant to drought and is used primarily as forage in drier regions throughout the subtropics and tropics. It reproduces mainly by apomixis and the acquisition of obligate sexual genotypes or facultative apomicts with high levels of sexuality is required for performing crosses and plant improvement. The aim of this study was to obtain sexual genotypes from controlled crosses using obligate apomictic cultivars and a sexual line. Twelve putative hybrid F1 plants were selected morphologically and two of them were identified as sexual genotypes by PCR using specific primers for reproductive mechanism. Cytoembryological analysis showed 65.5 and 71.3% meiotic embryo sacs in these plants and their hybrid nature was corroborated by AFLP. Both highly sexual genotypes could be used as female parents in crosses for obtaining improved cultivars of buffel grass.