Unravelling the ambiguous reproductive biology of Paspalum malacophyllum: a decades old story clarified

Abstract

In a recent manuscript published by our group we analyzed the reproductive biology of the grass Paspalum malacophyllum by using traditional embryological techniques combined with current cytological and molecular methods. Our findings confirmed apparent contradictions regarding the reproductive behavior of P. malacophyllum from six independently published reports over the past six decades. Herein we summarize the main findings, conclusions, and validations of all previous studies, highlighting the need for multiple approaches to characterize reproductive systems when using apomictic plants in a breeding program.