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2 March 2020 Seasonal alteration in sward height of Marandu palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha) pastures managed by continuous grazing interferes with forage production
Suleize Terra, Flávia Maria de Andrade Gimenes, Alessandra Aparecida Giacomini, Luciana Gerdes, Marisa Xavier Manço, Waldssimiler Teixeira de Mattos, Karina Batista
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Abstract

Changes in sward height of pastures managed by continuous grazing according to climatic seasonality may alter tillering and forage production. In order to evaluate the feasibility of seasonal alteration in sward height of Marandu palisade grass pastures (Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) R.D. Webster; syn. Urochloa brizantha (A.Rich.) Stapf) under continuous grazing management, we studied two constant sward heights (15 cm and 30 cm), and one height that was initiated at 30 cm, reduced to 15 cm in June (dry and cold season) and returned to 30 cm in December (wet and hot season) (30–15–30 cm). Pastures managed at 30–15–30 cm had a greater tiller appearance rate (22 tillers/100 tillers.30 days) than those maintained at 15 cm and 30 cm (16 and 17 tillers/100 tillers.30 days, respectively). In the 30–15–30 cm pastures, a lower accumulation rate of dead material was observed during the dry and cold season (June–August), which resulted in a higher leaf and lower dead material accumulation rate during the second growth season (wet and hot season, December–January). Planned reduction in sward height during the cold season can be used safely because it permits better seasonal distribution and utilisation of forage production without compromising the stability of Marandu palisade grass pastures.

© CSIRO 2020
Suleize Terra, Flávia Maria de Andrade Gimenes, Alessandra Aparecida Giacomini, Luciana Gerdes, Marisa Xavier Manço, Waldssimiler Teixeira de Mattos, and Karina Batista "Seasonal alteration in sward height of Marandu palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha) pastures managed by continuous grazing interferes with forage production," Crop and Pasture Science 71(3), 285-293, (2 March 2020). https://doi.org/10.1071/CP19156
Received: 12 April 2019; Accepted: 26 November 2019; Published: 2 March 2020
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KEYWORDS
forage accumulation
stability index
tiller appearance
tiller population density
Urochloa spp
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