Desempeño agronómico y nutricional de cuatro cultivares de Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L en la región Caribe colombiana

Abstract

Objectives : To evaluate the agronomic and nutritional performance of four cultivars of Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L in the Colombian Caribbean region. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in five localities located in the humid Caribbean and dry Caribbean subregions of Colombia. The cultivars Agrosavia Sabanera and Agrosavia Mishaya were evaluated and compared with the commercial controls Mombasa and Tanzania. Twelve 2 x 3 m plots were established in each location, distributed in a complete randomized block design with three replicas. The evaluated factors were four cultivars and two regrowth ages (21 and 28 days), during the dry and rainy seasons. Nutritional composition, dry matter yield, plant height, cover, leaf width and leaf length were evaluated. Results: The cvs. Agrosavia Sabanera, Mishaya, Mombasa and Tanzania showed similar dry matter yields, ranging between 480,4 and 577,8 kg DM ha-1. Regarding nutritional composition, cvs. Sabanera and Mishaya had the highest crude protein concentrations (11,7 and 11,0 %, respectively), which differed (p < 0,05) from those recorded by cultivars Mombasa (10,5 %) and Tanzania (10,8 %), respectively. Similarly, effect (p < 0,05) of time and age on crude protein content was found. Conclusion: The agronomic and nutritional characteristics observed in the Agrosavia Sabanera and Agrosavia Mishaya materials compile attributes of interest for the development of sustainable animal husbandry systems.

Keywords

• animal husbandry
• yield
• forage grasses