Harvest frequency effects on herbage characteristics of ‘Mavuno’ brachiariagrass

Abstract

Abstract‘Mavuno’ brachiariagrass (Brachiaria spp.) is a warm‐season perennial grass cultivar released in Brazil with potential to be used as forage in subtropical regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate herbage accumulation (HA), nutritive value, and the persistence of Mavuno under different harvest frequencies. The experiment was conducted in Ona, FL, from April to November in 2016 and 2017. Treatments were the factorial arrangement of four grasses: Jiggs bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers], ‘Tifton 85’ bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.), ‘Mulato II’ brachiariagrass, and Mavuno and two regrowth intervals (3 or 6 wk), distributed in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Mavuno and Mulato II had similar total annual HA (11.0 Mg ha−1), and in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM, 644 g kg−1), but greater total annual HA and IVDOM than Jiggs (7.8 Mg ha−1 and 500 g kg−1) and Tifton 85 (8.4 Mg ha−1 and 550 g kg−1). Mavuno had the least crude protein (CP) among all treatments (111 vs. 124 g kg−1), and CP and IVDOM were greater at the 3‐wk regrowth interval than at the 6‐wk interval (130 vs. 111 g kg−1 and 610 vs 548 g kg−1, respectively). Root mass was greater at 3 wk than at 6 wk for Tifton 85 (9.4 vs. 5.4 Mg ha−1) but was not affected by regrowth interval for Jiggs, Mavuno, and Mulato II (6.5 Mg ha−1). Mavuno and Mulato II had superior HA and IVDOM, and Mavuno may be a viable forage source in subtropical regions.