Resumo Desde há muito gramados têm sido cultivados em todo o mundo para o desempenho de grande número de funções. Os gramados brasileiros têm sido constituídos por um número reduzido de espécies e de cultivares. Este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o objetivo de estimar potencial de uso como gramados apresentados pelos membros de uma coleção de acessos de espécies nativas de Paspalum e de Axonopus (Poaceae). As seguintes características foram avaliadas: altura máxima de crescimento vertical, velocidade de cobertura do solo, velocidade de rebrote, produção de massa seca, qualidade ornamental, resistência à invasão de plantas daninhas e demanda por podas. Vários acessos apresentaram características básicas desejáveis e podem, portanto, ser incluídos em diferentes programas de desenvolvimento de cultivares destinadas a ampla variedade de usos como gramados. Os resultados apresentados e discutidos nesse trabalho representam uma constatação experimental do potencial da flora brasileira em oferecer plantas para uso como gramados reforçam a importância dos recursos genéticos nativos e contribuem à continuidade das pesquisas voltadas ao desenvolvimento deste tipo de cultivares no Brasil.

Abstract Since long lawns have been cultivated worldwide to perform a large variety of functions. Brazilian lawns have been constituted by a reduced number of species and cultivars. This work was developed with the purpose of estimating the potential of use as lawns presented by the members of a collection of accesses of native species of Paspalum and Axonopus (Poaceae). The following characteristics were evaluated: maximum vertical growth height, speed of soil cover, speed of regrowth, dry mass production, ornamental quality, weed encroachment and demand for mowing. Several accessions presented desirable characteristics and can therefore be included in programs aiming the development of cultivars for lawns intended for use in a variety of situations. The results here reported and discussed represent an experimental verification of the potential of the Brazilian flora to offer plants for use as lawns, reinforce the importance of native genetic resources and contribute to the continuity of research aimed at the development of this type of cultivars in Brazil.

Abstract Pasture is the main food source for more than 200 million cattle heads in Brazil. Although Brazilian forage breeding programs have successfully released well-adapted, high-yielding cultivars over the years, the use of genomic tools in these programs is currently limited. These tools are required to tackle the main challenges for tropical forage breeding in Brazil. In this context, this notes lists the main research priorities raised at the workshop “Breeding Forages in the Genomic Era”, which are necessary to accelerate the use of genomic tools for next-generation breeding of tropical forages and allow breeders to increase genetic gains. Additionally, an online discussion forum (hosted at http://www.cnpgl.embrapa.br/genfor) has been launched to strengthen collaborations among research groups. The research priorities and more synergistic collaborations will assist researchers and decision-makers in delivering a sustainable increase in production of animal products, especially beef and milk, which are required to feed a rising world population.

Abstract Although manioc is well adapted to nutrient-poor Oxisols of Amazonia, ethnobotanical observations show that bitter manioc is also frequently cultivated in the highly fertile soils of the floodplains and Amazonian dark earths (ADE) along the middle Madeira River. Because different sets of varieties are grown in each soil type, and there are agronomic similarities between ADE and floodplain varieties, it was hypothesized that varieties grown in ADE and floodplain were more closely related to each other than either is to varieties grown in Oxisols. We tested this hypothesis evaluating the intra-varietal genetic diversity and the genetic relationships among manioc varieties commonly cultivated in Oxisols, ADE and floodplain soils. Genetic results did not agree with ethnobotanical expectation, since the relationships between varieties were variable and most individuals of varieties with the same vernacular name, but grown in ADE and floodplain, were distinct. Although the same vernacular name could not always be associated with genetic similarities, there is still a great amount of variation among the varieties. Many ecological and genetic processes may explain the high genetic diversity and differentiation found for bitter manioc varieties, but all contribute to the maintenance and amplification of genetic diversity within the manioc in Central Amazonia.

Resumo Na literatura científica atual são encontrados artigos que utilizam diferentes nomes científicos para o babaçu, principalmente Orbignya phalerata e Attalea speciosa, mas também O. speciosa, O. martiana, entre outros. Esta multiplicidade de nomes ocasiona uma grande confusão na comunidade científica que permite a propagação sucessiva de erros. Este artigo de opinião objetiva esclarecer aspectos deste problema, revisando a história da nomenclatura da espécie, desde a primeira descrição por Martius, em 1826, e evidenciando as sucessivas mudanças de nome que ocorreram. São também brevemente discutidas as consequências da fusão dos quatro gêneros relacionados, de recentes trabalhos de filogenia e das últimas mudanças em classificação de palmeiras para a nomenclatura da espécie. Adicionalmente, os resultados de buscas em Índices de Nomes de Plantas são apresentados. Como conclusão, recomendamos a adoção do nome Attalea speciosa Mart ex. Spreng como o mais adequado para o babaçu e frisamos a forte necessidade de uma ampla revisão taxonômica do grupo.

Abstract Various scientific names are usually found for the babassu in current literature: mainly Orbignya phalerata and Attalea speciosa, but also O. speciosa and O. martiana, among others. This multiplicity of names leads to great confusion in the scientific community causing mistakes to be successively propagated. This note aims to clarify the problem, reviewing the species nomenclature history since the first description by Martius, in 1826, and reporting the successive name changes which occurred. Consequences of the lumping of four closely related genera, of recent phylogenetic studies and of the last changes in palm classification on the species nomenclature are also briefly discussed. In addition, searching results on scientific names at the main Plant Name Indexes are presented here. As a conclusion, we recommend the adoption of Attalea speciosa Mart ex. Spreng as the most suitable name for the babassu and highlight that a broad taxonomic review of the Attalea group is necessary.