cv. Basilisk is the single most important forage grass used for pastures in the tropics. This cultivar has exceptional adaptation to acid soils, vigorous growth, ease of establishment, and good forage value throughout the year, but these favorable character-istics are counteracted by its susceptibility to insect pests − spittlebugs. Breeding to produce improved cultivars within this species regrowth score was a combined score from 0 (poor) to 6 was impossible until 2009 due to the lack of compatible sexual ecotypes. With the success of somatic chromosome duplication of sexually reproduc-ing diploid plants of