Chemical composition and adaptation of tropical grass Leersia hexandra Sw. exposed to crude oil soil

The purpose was to evaluate the chemical composition and adaptation potential of L. hexandra under crude oil stress conditions, through the rhizobacterial population, crude protein accumulation, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and lignin in foliage of young plants emerging from the main tillers of the plant at different growth ages (d 180 and 360), as well as the production of young plants in the tillering stage, and the aerial and root dry matter. The results showed that crude oil concentrations in the soil significantly affected the population of Azotobacter spp. (0.361*); however, those of Azospirillum spp. and Pseudomonas spp. were inhibited, while both populations increased with time extension (0.778*, 0.767*). Likewise, the synthesis of crude protein (0.551**) and lignin in the foliage Rev Mex Cienc Pecu 2025;16(1):81-100 82 (0.354*) and the production of young plants in the tillering stage (0.465**), as well as of root dry matter (0.362*) were increased, indicating a strategy of L. hexandra to survive and adapt to soil contamination by crude oil. Nevertheless, the chemical composition was affected by the age of the grass, in which the percentage of neutral detergent fiber (0.832**), acid detergent fiber (0.741**), and lignin (0.661**) increased, while that of crude protein decreased (-0.497**).