Influence of temperature on germination of new buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) genotypes

Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) is widely grown in tropical and sub-tropical arid rangelands around the globe because of its high tolerance to drought and high level of nutrients. In the present study, the seed germination response of 12 buffelgrass genotypes (nine collected accessions and three introduced varieties) was tested to record the various effects of storage duration and temperature treatments on germination. Five constant temperature treatments (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 degrees C) and two storage durations (12 and 24 months) were used. The studied buffelgrass genotypes responded differently to the different storage durations and temperature regimes, suggesting the importance of genotype assessment under different environments. The highest germination percentages were recorded for genotype BUR-1 at 20 degrees C (45%) after 12 months. No germination occurred after 12 months at low constant temperatures (15 degrees C) for all genotypes except BUR-1, BUR-2 and UIA. Therefore, there is a large genetic variability among buffelgrass genotypes for seed germination, which could permit improvement by selection and breeding.