Accumulation of forage in Puerto Rico Stargrass managed under frequencies and severities

defoliation

Pablo G. Zanella * 1, Carlos A. B. de Carvalho2, Elisa C. Modesto2, Sergio T. Camargo Filho3,

Ronan R. de Carvalho4, Alan C. Fernandes4, Anderson R. Oliveira4, Frida E. Sparaciari5
*Student of the Postgraduate Program in Animal Science, BR 465 km 07, 23890-000 -
Seropédica, RJ, Brazil. 1Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro. 3Agricultural Research of
the Rio de Janeiro State (Pesagro-Rio), Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
*pablo_435@hotmail.com

The carrying capacity and productivity of a given pasture will depend on the amount and quality
of forage produced under particular sward. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect
of two frequencies (90 and 95% light interception - LI) and severities of defoliation (0.20 and
0.30 m residue) on forage accumulation (FA) and forage accumulation rate (FAR) of Puerto Rico
star grass pastures used under grazing during the fall, winter and spring. The experiment was
conducted at Pesagro-Rio, Seropédica - RJ (22° 45' S and 43° 41' W) and 33 m altitude, from
03/26/2012 to 12/27/2012. The climate is AW (Köppen). The experimental area consisted of 16
paddocks of 300 m² each, arranged under a completely randomized block design in a 2 x 2
factorial arrangement with four replications (treatments were named as 95-30, 95-20, 90-30 and
90-20 according to the IL and height residue). The samples were collected from forage mass
under pre and post grazing, four samples each paddock using frame (circle) of 0.20 m2 area in
clear cuts to the ground. The samples were weighed at 55°C by 72 hours. The FA was calculated
as the difference between the pasture forage conditions pre and post grazing from the previous
cycle. The FAR was obtained dividing the FA in the days of forage growth. Data were analyzed
by PROC MIXED of SAS®, version 9.0, and variance analysis made based on the following
sources of variation: frequencies and severities of defoliation, seasons, and the interactions
among them, (fixed effects), and the effect of blocks at random. The treatment means were
estimated by LSMEANS and compared by PDIFF (p<0.05). The FA showed triple interaction
however in the fall the FA didn’t differ (average of 5736 kg ha-1), but in winter the largest FA
occurred for pastures managed with 90-30 and 95-20 (average of 4976 kg ha-1) and in the spring
to pastures under 90% LI, and 95-20 (average of 3209 kg ha-1) due to the more frequency
(90% LI) and interval of grazing (95% LI), respectively in booth seasons. The FAR showed
doubled interactions in all sources, with higher for FAR to 90% LI in the fall (75 kg ha day-1)
over the winter and spring (average of 49 kg ha day-1 due reserves accumulated in the last season
and did not differ when we analyzed the severity of defoliation this frequency with
58 kg ha day-1 whereas, to 95% IL highest value occurred during the fall and spring (average
56 kg ha day-1) over the winter (40 kg ha day-1), and in the severity 0.20 m (62 kg ha day-1) was
higher than 0.30 m (49 kg ha day-1). There was no difference between 90 and 95% LI when the
pastures were grazed to 0.20 m (average of 59 kg ha day-1), but when handled 0.30 m
(60a kg ha day-1 to 90% LI, and 39b kg ha day-1 to 95% LI), due the phenotypic plasticity of this
grass that mobilize more reserves to starch when occur injuries of successive grazing. During the
fall and spring, there was no difference in FAR in severity of defoliation (averages of 68 and
48 kg ha day-1, respectively), but in winter higher FAR was observed for 0.20 m (64 kg ha day-1)
when compared to 0.30 m (30 kg ha day-1) due less severity of grazing. To 0.20 m higher FAR
occurred in fall and winter (average of 65 kg ha day-1) than in spring (48 kg ha day-1), and to
0.30 m in the fall (71a kg ha day-1) than in spring (48b kg ha day-1) and winter (30c kg ha day-1).
For greater herbage accumulation, star grass pastures can be managed under both frequencies
and severities of defoliation in the fall, most (90% LI) or less frequently (95% LI) combined with
lower (0.30 m) and higher (0.20 m) severe defoliation in winter, and at greater frequency and
severity of defoliation (90-20) in the spring. Allied to this, and based on FAR indicates to
management with greater frequency and severity of defoliation mainly in winter and spring.
Keywords: Cynodon nlemfuensis, forage mass, height residue, light interception