Abstract
Climate change has increased the interannual and seasonal variation in the average temperature and precipitation rate, which determine forage availability globally. Similar patterns of change have occurred in tropical regions, and Ecuador is no exception. This region includes other influencing factors, such as the conversion of tropical forests to extensive pastures. Therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate guinea grass (Panicum maximum) cultivated under silvopastoral systems with different management strategies in both of the seasons of the study region in Ecuador (rainy season and dry season). A randomized complete block design was used for the experiment, with three repetitions and three treatments. Agronomic measures, forage production, chemical composition, animal responses, and soil properties were evaluated. Data were analyzed with the Mixed model of SAS. Differences in all evaluated parameters were observed between treatments, and silvopastoral systems (SPSs) produced better results than conventional grass monoculture. Furthermore, there was a strong seasonal effect on forage production, chemical composition, and soil properties. Therefore, management of Panicum maximum with well-planned grazing can enhance animal responses and help to retain natural resources, lowering the pressure on forests.
Highlights
The conversion of a tropical forest to extensive pastures for cattle grazing is one of the primary causes of deforestation, land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), depletion of carbon (C) stocks, and a reduction in biodiversity [1,2,3]
Our results show that for guinea grass (Panicum maximum) cultivated under different silvopastoral systems, higher ash content was observed in the HP season compared with the lower precipitation (LP) season regardless of treatment
The guinea grass Panicum maximum exhibited different behaviors according to weather conditions and management practices, and better results were obtained when it was managed under silvopastoral systems
Summary
The conversion of a tropical forest to extensive pastures for cattle grazing is one of the primary causes of deforestation, land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), depletion of carbon (C) stocks, and a reduction in biodiversity [1,2,3]. This global process generates an increase in the interannual and seasonal variation of factors that determine the forage availability, and as a consequence, animal productivity is reduced [4,5]. Livestock has turned soils into degraded lands that are dependent on mechanization and agrochemicals
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