Boletim de Indústria Animal (Dec 2022)
Production of Mixed Pastures of Marandu Palisadegrass and Stylosanthes SPP. Submitted to Shade
Abstract
This study evaluated the productivity of mixed canopies of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu palisadegrass and Stylosanthes spp cv. Campo Grande at different shading levels during the dry season in the Cerrado biome of Midwest Brazil. The trial was carried out at the Experimental Farm of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in Terenos, Mato Grosso do Sul. The experimental design used was completely randomized blocks. Plots of 30 m2 (5 x 6 m) were established. The shading conditions (0, 30 and 50%) were obtained using shades arranged over the experimental plots. The light interception (LI) and leaf area index (LAI) of the canopies were measured with an AccuPAR LP-80 canopy analyzer. Pasture production was estimated through the total forage mass (TFM), and botanical composition was determined through grass forage mass (GM) and legume forage mass (LM). Morphological composition was also estimated through grass and legume leaf mass (gLM and lLM, respectively), grass stem mass (gSM), legume stalk mass (lSM), grass dead material mass (gDM and lDM, respectively), grass and legume green mass (gGM and lGM, respectively), and leaf stem or stalk ratio (L:S) of legume and grass. These evaluations were performed by collecting samples using frames (0.25m2) and cutting the forage close to the ground. Samples were weighed and separated for botanical and morphological composition, later weighed and placed in an oven at 55 °C for 72 hours to obtain dry matter. The 50% shade provided greater LI (P0.05). There was no effect of canopy height between shading levels (p>0.05), showing an average height of 47.1 cm between treatments. The 50% shade resulted in higher TFM and GM (P0.05). The gDM was highest at 30% (P0.05). The greater shading promoted higher LI, TFM, and GM without impacting the legume population in the dry season in the Cerrado biome.
