Agronomic response of forage mixtures in a silvopastoral system of the Colombian dry tropic

Abstract

Mixtures of forage grasses and legumes were established on 9.7 ha, using the following treatments: Brachiaria hybrida cv. Cayman, Brachiaria hybrida cv. Toledo, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaza, Brachiaria hybrida cv. Cayman + C. brasiliensis, Brachiaria hybrida cv. Toledo + C. brasiliensis, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaza + C. brasiliensis. The following variables were evaluated: vigor, height of the plant, coverage, incidence of pests and diseases at the four-week mark and production of forage and dry matter were recorded at the six-week mark. Statistical differences were found for plant height, which evidenced which of the treatments behaved best in terms of growth. Non-combined treatments were found to perform best for the production of dry matter variable. C. brasiliensis contributes to the growth of the combined grasses during the first four weeks of establishment, but after this time the legume begins to compete for space and light, affecting the development of the other forage species.

Keywords

• Legume
• grass
• Canavalia brasiliensis
• interspecific competition