, and T.T. Tres. 2014. Dry matter production, chemical composition, dry matter digestibility and occurrence of fungi in Bermuda grass hay (Cynodon dactylon) under different fertilization systems or associated with pea plantings in winter. Cien. Inv. Agr. 41(2): 163-174. This study aimed to evaluate the structural characteristics, dehydration curve, DM production, chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility and occurrence of fungi in Bermuda grass hay (Cynodon dactylon cv. ´Bermuda grass´, Tifton 85) produced in winter under different forms of fertilization or in association with a winter annual legume. The experimental design used was a randomized block with split plots in time and with four treatments: Bermuda grass without fertilization or intercropping, Bermuda grass with nitrogen (N) chemical fertilizer (100 kg N ha-1 year-1), Bermuda grass oversown with forage pea (Pisum arvense cv. ´Iapar 83´), and Bermuda grass with the addition of 70 m 3 ha-1 swine slurry. Three evaluation periods (cutting, baling and 30 days of storage) and five replicates were used. The DM yield of Bermuda grass without N was 2607 kg ha-1. The use of swine slurry increased the DM yield of Bermuda grass more than the use of the N chemical fertilizer (4864 and 3551 kg ha-1 , respectively). In association with forage pea, a high total DM yield was obtained: 4261 kg ha-1 of pea and 2171 kg ha-1 of Bermuda grass. The dehydration time and final crude protein content of the Bermuda grass were higher in association with the legume. The levels of acid detergent-insoluble protein increased with storage. The in vitro DM digestibility reduced the cut to 30 days of storage in treatments with Bermuda grass without association with the legume. A higher occurrence of fungi occurred after 30 days of storage, with Penicillium generally predominant; however, Phoma was predominant in the hay produced from Bermuda grass grown with no N supplementation.

The present study aimed at evaluating the intensity of Tifton 85 conditioning using a mower conditioner with free-swinging flail fingers and storage times on dehydration curve, fungi presence, nutritional value and in vitro digestibility of Tifton 85 bermudagrass hay dry matter (DM). The dehydration curve was determined in the whole plant for ten times until the baling. The zero time corresponded to the plant before cutting, which occurred at 11:00 and the other collections were carried out at 8:00, 10:00, 14:00, and 16:00. The experimental design was randomised blocks with two intensities of conditioning (high and low) and ten sampling times, with five replications. The high and low intensities related to adjusting the deflector plate of the free iron fingers (8 and 18 cm). In order to determine gas exchanges during Tifton 85 bermudagrass dehydration, there were evaluations of mature leaves, which were placed in the upper middle third of each branch before the cutting, at every hour for 4 hours. A portable gas analyser was used by an infrared IRGA (6400xt). The analysed variables were photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (gs), internal CO2 concentration (Ci), transpiration (T), water use efficiency (WUE), and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi). In the second part of this study, the nutritional value of Tifton 85 hay was evaluated, so randomised blocks were designed in a split plot through time, with two treatments placed in the following plots: high and low intensity of cutting and five different time points as subplots: cutting (additional treatment), baling and after 30, 60, and 90 days of storage. Subsequently, fungi that were in green plants as well as hay were determined and samples were collected from the grass at the cutting period, during baling, and after 30, 60, and 90 days of storage. It was observed that Tifton 85 bermudagrass dehydration occurred within 49 hours, so this was considered the best time for drying hay. Gas exchanges were more intense before cutting, although after cutting they decreased until ceasing within 4 hours. The lowest values of acid detergent insoluble nitrogen were obtained with low conditioning intensity after 30 days of storage, 64.8 g/kg DM. The in vitro dry matter of Tifton 85 bermudagrass did not differ among the storage times or the conditioning intensities. There was no fungi present in the samples collected during the storage period up to 90 days after dehydration, with less than 30 colony forming units found on plate counting. The use of mower conditioners in different intensities of injury did not speed up the dehydration time of Tifton 85.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural characteristics, dry matter production, residual mass, chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility of Iapar 61 black oat (Avena strigosa cv Iapar 61) pasture, both in isolation and in association with birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L., cv. St. Gabriel), under different forms of management in three growth cycles. A randomized block design was used with split plots in time with four treatments: conventional tillage oats, oat tillage, oats associated with birdsfoot trefoil and single birdsfoot trefoil, with three periods of evaluation and four replications. The apical meristem of oats increased from the first to the second cycle. The dry matter production of single birdsfoot trefoil was 579.65 kg on average, and the oats tillage production was 2597.78 kg. Oats exhibited high nutritional value before the first grazing in all treatments; however, at the end of its cycle, the association with birdsfoot significantly increased the crude protein content of the forage. The in vitro dry matter digestibility was similar between crops and decreased in the third cycle. Birdsfoot increased the nutritional value of oats at the end of the oat life cycle.

Structural characteristics, curve dehydration, dry matter production, chemical composition, occurrence of fungi, temperature in the storage of hay bales of Tifton 85 oversowing with long-cycle oat (IPR 126) and oats for short-cycle grains production (Guapa), were evaluated. For chemical composition, the experimental design used was randomized blocks, a split-plot overtime and 3 treatments (single Tifton 85, Tifton 85 with IPR 126 oat oversowing and Tifton 85 in association with Guapa white oat and 3 assessment periods (cutting, baling and 30 days of storage) with 5 repetitions. The dry matter production was higher in single Tifton 85 compared to associations with white oat. The largest stem diameter of guapa white oat contributed to reduce losses of water in the dehydration process, with the hay in this culture system being stored under 800 g kg -1 DM. It was found that the crude protein did not differ between cropping systems, but Tifton 85 hay showed high levels of acid detergent insoluble protein and higher levels of NDF and lignin. The occurrence of fungi was higher after storage predominating fungi of the genus Penicillium.