Abstract
Elephantgrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. syn. Cenchrus purpureus) is one of the most important forage plants worldwide, cultivated in almost all tropical and subtropical regions due to its high potential for dry matter production, nutritional value, acceptability by different animal species and categories, vigor, and persistence. It has shown great potential for biomass energy production and other forms of non-forage use. This study aimed to review the current knowledge about the cultivation and use elephantgrass focused on pasture and silage. The study also describes the main morphological, genetic, and cytogenetic characteristics of the species, and methods and strategies for obtaining improved cultivars. The release of dwarf type cultivars for grazing and cultivars with high-yield potential for silage has increased the interest in the cultivation of elephantgrass in the beef and dairy cattle production.
Highlights
Elephantgrass is one of the most important forage species in the world
This study aimed to review the current knowledge about the cultivation and use elephantgrass focused on pasture and silage
The elephant grass is considered the species with greater photosynthetic efficiency in relation to others forage grasses and with great yield capacity and accumulation of dry matter of good nutritional quality (Coombs et al, 1973)
Summary
Elephantgrass is one of the most important forage species in the world It has been grown in almost all tropical and subtropical regions of the globe due to its high potential for forage accumulation, nutritive value, acceptability by different animal species, vigor, and persistence. The elephant grass is considered the species with greater photosynthetic efficiency in relation to others forage grasses and with great yield capacity and accumulation of dry matter of good nutritional quality (Coombs et al, 1973) It is maily used for cut-and-carry forage systems, but it can be used for silage (Pereira et al 2016; 2021), rotational stocking (Chaves et al, 2013; Gomide et al, 2015), and for biomass energy production (Rocha et al, 2017). The most frequent habitats of the species are the fertile valleys with precipitation above 1,000 mm, mainly in watercourses banks, but some varieties of this plant are found in the areas of savanna (Brunken, 1977)
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