Increasing the population of forage peanut in a mixed pasture by controlling the canopy height. (13th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Homem, Bruno G. C.; Rosa, Ailton D.; Ferreira, Igor M.; Cruvinel, Iury A. F.; Lara, Márcio A. S.; Bernardes, Thiago F.; Casagrande, Daniel Rume
• Is Part Of: Grass and forage science. Volume 74:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 571
• Page End: 575
• Publication Date: 2019-06-13
• Subjects: Arachis pintoi -- botanical composition -- Brachiaria -- palisade grass -- warm‐season legume; Grasses -- Periodicals; Forage plants -- Periodicals; Grasslands -- Periodicals; 633.2
• DOI: 10.1111/gfs.12436
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-5242

Abstract

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine a temporary strategy for increasing the legume population in an established pasture of brachiaria grass ( Brachiaria brizantha ) and forage peanut ( Arachis pintoi ). The treatments comprised four previous long‐term canopy heights (10, 20, 30 and 40 cm) from the establishment (the first 32 months after treatment initiation). From September 2014, all of the experimental units were kept at 10 cm height. The pastures were evaluated for their forage harvest, forage mass, botanical composition and stolon and tiller density. The tiller density and brachiaria grass mass were maintained in all pastures since the first season of evaluation ( p > 0.10). The stolon density and legume mass were initially lesser at 30 and 40 cm than those at 10 and 20 cm, early in the experiment, but progressively increased over time. After 1 year under 10 cm height, the population and mass of legume were similar in all treatments. Therefore, reducing the canopy height to 10 cm at the beginning of the rainy season is an efficient method to increase the botanical composition of forage peanut in mixed pastures with brachiaria grass.