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Scientific Reports
nature portfolio
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| Abstract: |
The Yarlung Zangbo River Basin in China has a perennial grass species, Pennisetum centrasiaticum,
which shows potential for improving feed quality. Researchers assembled two distinct collections,
designated P. centrasiaticum—DB and P. centrasiaticum—NB, to investigate the growth characteristics
and genetic variations within this species. Their objective was to comprehend the variance in
phenotypic features and to sequence whole chloroplast genomes, which would illuminate evolutionary
relationships and possibilities for selective breeding. The scientists assessed both agronomic and
nutritional aspects of the grass and used sophisticated high-throughput methods to sequence the
whole chloroplast genomes. P. centrasiaticum—DB demonstrated beneficial traits, including increased
height (71.58 cm), a greater number of internodes (4.17), elongated ears (9.33 cm), an elevated ear
weight ratio (7.91%), and higher ether extract content (16.40%), alongside reduced crude fiber content
(386.30 g/kg), indicating improved palatability. The chloroplast genomes of P. centrasiaticum—DB
(138,291 bp) and P. centrasiaticum—NB (138,283 bp) exhibited standard four-part architectures, with
minor variations in the LSC, SSC, IR sections, GC content, and SSR distribution. A phylogenetic study
classified Pennisetum and Cenchrus into separate clades, confirming their distinction at the species
level. The differences in agronomic data and chloroplast genome data further clarify the distinctions
between these two types of P. centrasiaticum, providing theoretical support for their future utilization.
The P. centrasiaticum—DB germplasm has significant potential for producing high-quality fodder,
while the chloroplast genome data provide fresh insights into the evolutionary linkages and molecular
evolution of Pennisetum species.
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