scholarly journals Evaluation of Seven Forage Grasses at Two Cutting Stages

1969 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-185
Author(s):  
A. Sotomayor Ríos ◽  
A. Acosta Matienzo ◽  
J. Vélez Fortuño

Seven forage grasses, i.e., Tanner (Brachiaria cf. mutica), a bermuda grass selection (Cynodon dactylon var. coursii), glabrous Signal (Brachiaria brizantha), Signal (Brachiaria brizantha), Congo (Brachiaria ruziziensis), Star (Cynodon nlemfuensis var. nlemfuensis) and Pangola (Digitaria decumbens) were cut at a 60-day harvest interval and at the optimum stage for harvest during a 2-year period at the Gurabo Substation. It was considered that plants had reached the optimum stage for harvest when flowering and yellowing of leaves at the basal parts of the plant began to appear and the grasses had attained a reasonable forage volume as compared to adjacent plots harvested every 60 days. At the 60-day harvest interval, the top yielder was the glabrous Signal; this grass produced 72.78, 19.85 and 1.40 tons of total green, dry forage, and crude protein per acre per year, respectively. Signalgrass was second best with 69.93,16.87 and 1.20 tons of green, dry forage and crude protein per acre per year, respectively. At the optimum stage for harvest, the top yielder in terms of total green forage per acre per year was Congograss with 70.40 tons. The best dry forage and crude protein yielder was glabrous Signal with 18.84 and 1.54 tons per acre per year, respectively. Pangolagrass was second best in terms of total green and dry forage per acre per year with 69.90 and 17.30 tons, respectively. The green forage yields of the grasses studied, except Tannergrass, were similar when cut at the 60-day harvest interval as compared to the optimum stage for harvest. The annual dry forage yield also was similar at the two cutting stages, except Tannergrass and C. dactylon var. coursii. Significantly higher protein yields were obtained at the optimum stage for harvest in all forages with the exception of Signalgrass. Glabrous Signal (Brachiaria brizantha), USDA PI 255346, was the top dry forage yielder of the seven grasses studied. This grass produced about 20 tons of dry forage (73 tons of green forage) containing 7.1 percent of protein and about 19 tons of dry forage (69 tons of green forage) containing 8.2 percent of protein, at the 60-day harvest interval and at the optimum stage for harvest, respectively.

1969 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-36
Author(s):  
A. Sotomayor-Ríos ◽  
J. Rodríguez-García ◽  
S. Silva

Four forage grasses, i.e., Pangola, Digitaria decumbens Stent; Tanner, Brachiaria mutica; a Bermuda selection, Cynodon dactylon var. coursii and Hexapangola, Digitaria decumbens Stent, were evaluated under cutting management at the Corozal Substation located in the humid mountainous region of Puerto Rico. The effects of cutting heights of 2 and 6 inches above the ground, and of 30-, 45- and 60-day harvesting intervals were determined over a 2-year period. All grasses received 2 tons of 15-5-10 fertilizer per acre per year. At all cutting heights and harvest intervals, Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon var. coursii) had the highest dry forage yields while Pangola and Hexapangola had the highest crude protein contents. At all harvest intervals the grasses produced more total yields and crude protein per acre yearly when cut to a height of 2 inches than when cut to 6 inches above the ground. Green and dry forage yields produced by the grasses increased and on the average, crude protein content of the grasses decreased with the length of the harvest interval. A significant variety X cutting interval interaction was observed for total dry forage yields. Lower yields were obtained during the dry winter months at all cutting intervals. When cut 2 inches above the ground and every 60 days, Bermuda (Cynodon dactylon var. coursii) produced 28,247 pounds of dry forage per acre yearly containing about 9.0 percent crude protein.


1969 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-311
Author(s):  
J. Coward-Lord ◽  
J. A. Arroyo-Aguilú ◽  
O. García-Molinari

Ten tropical forage grasses (Pangola, Digitaria decumbens; Congo, Brachiaria ruziziensis; Signal, Brachiaria brizantha; Buffel, Cenchrus ciliaris; Guinea, Panicum maximum; Jaragua, Hyparrhenia rufa Giant Pangola, Digitaria valida; African Crab, Digitaria swazilandensis; Venezuelan Elephant, Pennisetum setosum; and Lampo, Hemarthria altissima), lightly fertilized with NH4NO3 at the rate of 350 kg/ha, were harvested by hand (machete) every 30 days during 180 days, beginning on August 20, 1970, at the College of Agricultural Sciences grass collection, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Total dry matter (TDM) content was calculated. Forages studied were evaluated chemically for crude protein (N X 6.25) (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE) and ash (A). NFE was calculated as the difference between 100 and the sum of CP, CF, EE and A. Statistical analyses of variance were conducted. All fractions differed in a highly significant way with respect to species and plant age. Highly significant differences in CP, EE and A at decreasing rates and in TDM, CF and NFE at increasing rates were obtained, as the grasses advanced in maturity. The largest changes in forage quality occurred between 30 and 60 days of age.


1969 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-455
Author(s):  
A. Sotomayor-Ríos ◽  
F. J. Juliá ◽  
J. A. Arroyo-Aguilú

The effect of three harvest intervals (30, 45 and 60 days) on the yield, crude protein (CP), digestible protein (DP), and mineral (calcium, Ca; phosphorus, P; potassium, K; and magnesium, Mg) composition of 10 forage grasses was determined during a 1-year period at the Isabela Substation. The species studied included three Brachiarias, five Digitarias and two Cynodons. As the 30-day harvest interval, the dry matter yield (DMY) ranged from 25,859 to 19,041 pounds per acre per year. The highest DMY was obtained by Transvala digitgrass (Digitaria decumbens, PRPI. 6439) Stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis PRPI. 2341) had the highest CP and DP contents. The highest DMY at the 45-day interval was obtained by Transvala digitgrass, being significantly different (P < .05) from other grasses. The DMY ranged from 29,532 to 20,962 pounds per acre per year. Digitaria eriantha had the highest CP and DP contents. Stargrass had the highest DMY and CP at the 60-day harvest interval. The DMY ranged from 37,504 to 30,269 pounds per acre per year. Mean Ca and Mg contents in the grasses increased at the 45-day interval, with no Ca increase but a Mg decrease at 60 days. Mean P and K contents decreased as the harvest intervals increased. The yielding ability of the grasses was encouraging, especially in the Transvala digitgrass and Stargrass species. The CP and DP contents tended to vary as plants matured, suggesting that studies of mineral absorption and/or utilization of forage grasses by niminants should be undertaken.


1969 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
J. Velez-Santiago ◽  
J. A. Arroyo-Aguilu

Five tropical forage grasses: Star (Cynodon nlemfuensis), Transvala digit (Digitaria decumbens), Pangola (Digitaria decumbens) and two Limpos (Hemarthria altissima, Bigalta and Greenalta), were cultivated without irrigation for 1.5 years at the Corozal Agricultural Experiment Substation to study the effects of 3 N fertilization levels and 3 harvest intervals (30, 45, and 60 days) on the green forage (GF), dry forage (DF), and crude protein (CP) yields and on the dry matter (DM), CP, P, and K contents. The soil is a Corozal clay (Uitisol). N levels, as (NH4)2SO4, applied after each harvest, included low, 224; medium, 448; and high, 896 kg/ha/yr. P and K were applied at rates of 112 and 336 kg/ha/yr, respectively. DM content and DF and CP yields increased significantly with longer harvest intervals. The medium N level resulted in the highest CP yields, except in the case of Star grass, in which high N fertilization gave greater CP yield. Bigalta, Star, and Transvala digit cultivars exhibited the highest GF, DF, and CP yields. DF yields (means across the 3 harvest intervals and the 3 N levels) for Bigalta, Greenalta, Transvala, Star, and Pangola grasses were 35,421; 29,209; 31 ,699; 32,383; and 24,461 kg/ha/yr, respectively.


1969 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-44
Author(s):  
J. Vélez-Santiago ◽  
A. Sotomayor-Ríos ◽  
S. Torres-Rivera

Ten forage grasses (Cynodon spp.), including recent introductions, and Stargrass (C. nlemfuensis var. nlemfuensis) were grown in the central mountains of Puerto Rico to measure the effect of two fertilizer rates and three harvest intervals on the forage yield, crude protein yield and hydrocyanic acid content (HCN) for a 2-year period. Fertilizer treatments applied after each harvest consisted of 2.24 and 4.48 metric tons/ha/year of a 15-5-10 fertilizer. Significant differences occurred between fertilizer rates as to dry forage and crude protein yields. Number of harvests per year were 6, 8 and 12 for 30-, 45- and 60-day intervals, respectively. Significant differences occurred among cultivars and harvest intervals. Cynodon dactylon (PRPI 11504), C. plectostachyus (PRPI 11487) and C. nlemfuensis var. nlemfuensis (PRPI 2341) occupied most of the top yield positions at the three harvest intervals. HCN within the cultivars ranged from 0 to 333 p/m.


Irriga ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 99
Author(s):  
Débora Pantojo de Souza ◽  
Arthur Carniato Sanches ◽  
Fernando Campos Mendonça ◽  
Rodolfo Guertas Maffei ◽  
Pedro José Catto

CARACTERÍSTICAS PRODUTIVAS DE TRÊS ESPÉCIES FORRAGEIRAS IRRIGADAS  DÉBORA PANTOJO DE SOUZA1; ARTHUR CARNIATO SANCHES2; FERNANDO CAMPOS MENDONÇA3; RODOLFO GUERTAS MAFFEI4 E PEDRO JOSÉ CATTO4 1 Engenheira Agrônoma, Mestranda em Engenharia de Sistemas Agrícolas, ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba,SP. CEP:13418900, e-mail:[email protected] Engenheiro Agrônomo, Doutorando em Engenharia de Sistemas Agrícolas, ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba,SP. CEP:13418900, e-mail: [email protected] Prof. Dr. Dep. Engenharia de Biossistemas, ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba,SP. CEP:13418900, e-mail: [email protected] Acadêmicos de Engenharia Agronômica, ESALQ/USP, Piracicaba,SP. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected].  1 RESUMO Este trabalho teve por objetivo a caracterização de parâmetros produtivos para três forrageiras tropicais irrigadas ao longo de três ciclos de cultivo. O experimento foi realizado na ESALQ/USP, em delineamento estatístico de blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas, com área total de 864 m². Foram estudadas as forrageiras Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Cynodon ssp. cv. Tifton 85 e Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça, no período compreendido entre 11 de fevereiro a maio de 2016. Consideraram-se os seguintes parâmetros produtivos de massa seca de forragem: produtividade total de forragem (PTF), produtividade de folhas (PF), produtividade de colmos (PC), produtividade de material morto (PMM), as porcentagens de massa de folhas (%MF), massa de colmos (%MC) e material morto (%MM) e a razão folha colmo-1 (RFC). A análise estatística de comparações múltiplas foi feita com o auxílio do software ASSISTAT 7.7, verificando-se que o capim Mombaça teve maior PTF (5.285,07 kg ha-1) em relação às demais espécies (nível α=0,01 de significância). Na média das três forrageiras, o 2º ciclo foi o mais produtivo (PTF = 3.883,69 kg ha-1). Também foi constatada a interação entre forrageiras e ciclos de crescimento para as variáveis PF e PC. O capim Mombaça apresentou a maior PF nos três ciclos, e PC maior em relação às demais forrageiras apenas no 1ociclo. A RFC não diferiu significativamente entre as forrageiras. Conclui-se que, dentre as três forrageiras estudadas, o capim Mombaça teve maior diminuição da produtividade ao longo dos três ciclos. Palavras-chave: Irrigação de pastagens, forrageiras tropicais, produtividade total de forragem.  SOUZA, D. P. de; SANCHES, A. C.; MENDONÇA, F. C.; MAFFEI, R. G.; CATTO, P. J.PRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THREE IRRIGATED SPECIES OF FORRAGEIRAS    2 ABSTRACT This work aimed to characterize the productive parameters for three tropical forage grasses during three cropping cycles. The experiment was carried out at the Luiz de Queiroz Agriculture College, under random blocks, in the split-plot statistical design, in a total area of 864 m². The forage grasses studied were Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Cynodon ssp. cv. Tifton 85,and Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa, from February 11th to May 6th, 2016 (3 growing cycles).The irrigation was made by a sprinkler system installed with a 12 x 12 m spacing, with sprinklers running at an average pressure of 300 kPa, whose distribution uniformity was previously checked (CUC = 87%). The following parameters were considered: total of forage yield (PTF), leaf yield(PF), culm yield (PC), dead material yield(PMM), leaf mass percentage (% MSF), stems percentage (% MSC), dead material percentage (% MSMM), and leaf culm-1 ratio (RFC). The multivariate statistical analysis was performed with the software ASSISTAT 7.7, and the results showed that the Mombaça grass had the highest forage yield (PTF = 5285.07 kg ha-1, significance level α = 0.01 ). Considering the culm yield and the average for the three forage grasses, the 2nd growing cycle presented the highest forage yield (3883.69 kg ha-1). The interaction between forage species and growing cycles was also verified, for the PF and PC parameters. The Mombasa grass had the highest PF values in the three growing cycles. For the PC parameter, the Mombasa grass was higher than the others only in the 1st cycle. Considering the RFC parameter, Tifton 85 had lower values than the others (1.24), but did not significantly differ from the other grasses. Among the three forage grasses studied, the Mombasa grass had the highest sensitivity to climate changes along the three growing cycles.         Keywords: Pasture irrigation, tropical forage grasses, total of forage yield.


2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2517
Author(s):  
Armindo Neivo Kichel ◽  
Luis Carlos Ferreira de Souza ◽  
Roberto Giolo de Almeida ◽  
José Alexandre Agiova da Costa

This study aimed to assess productivity and nutritional value of the tropical grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã, Xaraés, and Marandu, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça, and B. ruziziensis cv. Kennedy in the interseason of an integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system since alternatives are needed for forage production for animal grazing in Autumn and Winter. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a split-split plot scheme with four replications. The treatments of plots consisted of five grasses, subplots consisted of three cropping systems (monoculture, intercropping with corn and unsuppressed grass, and intercropped with corn and suppressed grass), and sub-subplots consisted of four cutting intervals of grasses (50, 90, 125, and 195 days after emergence - DAE). The experiment was carried out from February to September 2014. Dry matter (DM) productivity, obtained at 195 DAE for the three cropping systems (monoculture grass, unsuppressed and suppressed grass in intercropping), were 18.45, 7.15, and 3.05 t ha?1, respectively, and average crude protein contents of leaf blades of grasses decreased linearly between the cutting intervals of 50 to 195 DAE from 19.95 to 9.70%, respectively. Under integrated systems, the studied grasses showed better yields and nutritional quality when compared to traditional grazing systems. Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés and Piatã had the highest leaf and crude protein yields when compared to Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. In terms of nutritional value, Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy was superior to Mombaça and Xaraés grasses but had lower total dry matter yield. Finally, Xaraés, Piatã and Mombaça grasses are recommended choices ICL systems when fodder grass production is the goal.


2001 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. T. OMOKANYE ◽  
O. S. ONIFADE ◽  
P. E. OLORUNJU ◽  
A. M. ADAMU ◽  
R. J. TANKO ◽  
...  

At Shika in a subhumid environment of Nigeria, a 3-year study was carried out to select newly developed groundnut varieties for use in crop–livestock production systems. The study examined 11 groundnut varieties. Emergence time, plant stands at full emergence, forage and seed yields and yield components were examined. Whole plant samples were analysed for crude protein (CP) content. Varieties ICGV 87123 gave the lowest forage yield and cultivar M517-80I, the highest, with seven varieties recording forage yields above 5 t/ha. The CP content of forage was lowest (14·8%) for variety M576-80I and highest (21·6%) for variety M554-76. Mean seed yield (over 3 years) varied significantly from 0·73 to 1·68 t/ha. Only two varieties had mean seed yield >1 t/ha. The relationship between seed and forage yields was positive and significant (r = 0·529, P < 0·006). Varieties RMP 12, 88-80I and M517–80 were most promising for both forage and seed production.


1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 819-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. K. Twidwell ◽  
A. Boe ◽  
K. D. Kephart

Annual grasses and legumes offer potential as forages in the northern Great Plains region of the USA during late summer when perennial cool-season grass pastures are unproductive. The objective of this study was to evaluate the forage yield, in vitro digestible dry matter (IVDDM), and crude protein concentration of four annual species planted in May, June, and July at two South Dakota locations in 1989 and 1990. The species evaluated were cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), and Siberian foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) Beauv.). In 1989 cowpea, soybean, and millet produced similar yields at Highmore when planted in May, whereas in 1990 soybean had the highest forage yield of 8.3 t ha−1. Forage yields for the July planting were lower than those of the May planting, except for mungbean grown at Highmore in 1989 where the July planting produced 2.2 t ha−1 more forage than the May planting. Cowpea had significantly greater IVDDM than the other species for all three planting dates at Beresford in 1989, whereas at Highmore IVDDM for cowpea was not greater than that of mungbean for the May and June planting dates. Cowpea had the greatest crude protein concentration for all planting dates at Highmore in 1989, the greatest crude protein concentration for May and June planting dates at Beresford, and similar crude protein concentration to soybean for the July planting date. Millet, with the exception of the May planting at Highmore in 1990, consistently had lower IVDDM and crude protein concentrations than all three legumes each year at each location. The highest soybean forage yields at each location were always obtained from the May plantings. Cowpea forage yields were highest for the May planting at Highmore in 1989 and the June planting in 1990. Since cowpea often had higher forage yields, IVDDM, and crude protein concentrations than the other species it appears to be a viable alternative forage crop for this region.Key words: Annual forage legumes, millet, yield, quality


1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 556-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Spandl ◽  
James J. Kells ◽  
Oran B. Hesterman

Component yields and forage quality were evaluated in established stands of alfalfa seeded alone and in binary mixtures with smooth bromegrass, orchardgrass, or timothy. Forage yields and quality were determined at three annual harvests in the third and fourth years after seeding. Weed yields in alfalfa seeded alone were significantly greater than those in the alfalfa–orchardgrass mixture. Average weed content was 24, 17, 2, and 15% for the alfalfa seeded alone, alfalfa–bromegrass, alfalfa–orchardgrass, and alfalfa–timothy, respectively. Seeding alfalfa with orchardgrass increased first harvest and annual forage yields while reducing alfalfa yield. Yields of orchardgrass often exceeded those of bromegrass or timothy. In the first harvest each year, crude protein was reduced and acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber increased by including orchardgrass. Neutral detergent fiber was greater in alfalfa–orchardgrass than in the alfalfa seeded alone at most harvests. There were no consistent differences among the alfalfa seeded alone and the other mixtures in yield or quality.


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