Tillering dynamics in spring and summer of marandu palisade grass pastures previously used under deferred grazing

B.H.R Carvalho,J.A Martuscello,G.O Rocha,N.A.M Silva,G.S Borges,M.E.R Santos

doi:10.1590/1678-4162-12333

Abstract

ABSTRACT This work was conducted to evaluate the effect of deferred pasture condition of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu in the late winter on tillering during the growing season. The treatments were three pasture conditions at late winter: short pasture, tall pasture and tall/mown pasture. In September and October, tiller appearance rate (TApR) and tiller mortality rate (TMoR) were greater in the tall/mown pasture. In November and December, tall pasture presented greater TApR. From November to January the TMoR was greater in the tall pasture. The tiller stability index of short and tall/mown pastures were greater in October. The short pasture presented a greater tiller number than the tall and tall/mown pastures during the entire experimental period. Deferred and short pasture of marandu palisade grass at late winter presents in general lower tiller mortality and higher population density of tillers from the early spring onwards, in comparison to tall pasture. The mowing of marandu palisade grass with high forage mass at the late winter, although it only temporarily compromises the population stability of tillers, also stimulates its fast tillering from spring on.

Highlights

Tillers are the growth units of forage grasses and, variations in appearance and mortality of tiller during the year determine, in part, the perenniality and stability (Caminha et al, 2010; Silva et al, 2017), herbage production (Sbrissia et al, 2018) and morphological characteristics (Santos et al, 2017) of pasture
All the characteristics of tillering dynamics were influenced by the interaction between pasture conditions at the late winter and the months of the year (Table 1)
Lower tiller appearance rate (TApR) occurred in September, rapidly it reached its greatest value in October

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Tillers are the growth units of forage grasses and, variations in appearance and mortality of tiller during the year determine, in part, the perenniality and stability (Caminha et al, 2010; Silva et al, 2017), herbage production (Sbrissia et al, 2018) and morphological characteristics (Santos et al, 2017) of pasture. The mowing of tall pasture in the winter, despite providing the removal of old forage, results in great amount of forage on the base of the plants, which can inhibit the incidence of light on the basal buds and, can reduce tillering and compromise the number of tillers in the pastures. Marandu in order to (1) verify if the deferred and short pastures at the late winter presents greater and more rapid renovation of tiller during the spring and summer, when compared to deferred and tall pastures; and (2) understand how the mowing of taller pastures at the late winter modifies the tiller’s turnover in spring and summer Based on this information, it is possible to idealize pasture management strategies that optimize the natural pattern of tiller renewal during the beginning of growing season

MATERIAL AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS