Dynamics of forage accumulation in Elephant grass subjected to rotational grazing intensities

Abstract

-We assessed the accumulation dynamics of forage and its components in Elephant grass cv. Napier (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) that were subjected to three post-grazing height treatments (30, 50, and 70 cm) from February through May 2009 (experiment one) and December 2009 through May 2010 (experiment two). In experiment one, the grazing events started when the light interception by the canopy reached 95%. The same was adopted for experiment two, except for the first grazing event, which was based on the height of the apical meristems of basal tillers. The experimental design for both experiments was a randomized complete block with three replications. The pastures that were managed at a post-grazing height of 30 cm exhibited lower rates of leaf and stem growth, total growth and forage accumulation than those that were managed at 50 or 70 cm, indicating that post-grazing height affects Elephant grass. The pastures that were managed at 50 cm exhibited relatively stable accumulation rates and less stem accumulation. Pastures managed at 70 cm of pos-grazing height presented more leaf and stem accumulation. Most apical meristems of Elephant grass should be removed in the first grazing when they reach the post-grazing target height of 50 cm. The elevation in the residual post-grazing height, especially in the summer, raises the regrowth vigor in the Elephant grass cv. Napier pasture. The post-grazing height of 30 cm reduces the growth of the Elephant grass cv. Napier.

Forage mass and morphological composition of Marandu palisade grass pasture under rest periods

“…In Figure 2, we can also note that the reduction in leaves with grazing cycles is more pronounced in the pasture that was managed with a fixed 30-day rest period. This damage to the sward structure was an extension of the rest period during the rainy season and has been found in several tropical grasses such as marandu palisade grass (Trindade et al, 2007), Mombasa grass Alexandrino, 2007;Carnevalli et al, 2006), Tanzania grass (Barbosa et al, 2007), and elephant grass (Voltolini et al, 2010;Sousa et al, 2013;Gomide et al, 2015).…”

Sward Structure and Herbage Accumulation of Massai Guineagrass Pastures Managed According to Pre-Grazing Heights, in the Northeast of Brazil

“…Pereira et al (2015) also describes that severe defoliation may reduce the size and quality of the residual leaf area and decrease the rate at which the swards recover. The authors describe other experimental results: Sousa et al (2013) studied the same response variables in Pennisetum purpureum Schum cv. Napier managed the 95% LI target associated with three post-grazing heights: 30, 50 and 70 cm.…”

Growth dynamics and senescence of digit grass as a response to several canopy heights

“…Thus, the values for leaf and stem elongation rates and leaf senescence rate were transformed into leaf and stem growth rates and leaf senescence rate (kg ha -1 d -1 dry matter), respectively, for basal and aerial tillers. The sum of leaf growth and stem growth resulted in the total growth rate, whereas forage accumulation rate was calculated as the difference between total growth rate and leaf senescence rate (14) .…”