Tillering in Italian ryegrass established after soybean or corn, under different stockings and grazing intensities

Authors

  • Armindo Barth Neto Universidade Estadual de Maringá
  • Paulo César de Faccio Carvalho Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Gilles Lemaire INRA- Station d’Ecophysiologie des Plantes Fourragères
  • André Fischer Sbrissia Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC),
  • Marcos Weber do Canto Universidade Estadual de Maringá
  • Jean Victor Savian Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Glaucia Azevedo do Amaral Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • Carolina Bremm Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2013.v48.11154

Keywords:

Lolium multiflorum, tiller density, sward stability index, integrated crop-livestock, forage mass, tillering population pattern

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate tiller density, herbage mass, pattern of tiller population, and sward stability index in Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) pastures established after soybean or corn, subjected to different stocking methods and grazing intensities by sheep. Rotational or continuous stockings were evaluated under moderate (forage allowance equivalent to 2.5 times the potential consumption of lambs) and low grazing intensities (equivalent to 5.0 times). It was used a completely randomized block design, with a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement with four replicates. Evaluations were done monthly, between August and October 2010, during the pasture period. The tiller population density differed significantly with stocking methods and grazing intensities and was higher in the area previously cultivated with soybean, in the evaluation performed in August. The highest herbage masses were observed in pastures established after soybean at low‑grazing intensity, whereas the lowest were observed in pastures established after corn with moderate grazing intensity. During the reproductive period, tillering density reduced, and the individual tiller mass increased. Moderate grazing intensity reduces the percentage of fertile tillers. Reduction in tiller density during flowering does not affect the sward stability index.

Published

2013-06-06

How to Cite

Neto, A. B., Carvalho, P. C. de F., Lemaire, G., Sbrissia, A. F., Canto, M. W. do, Savian, J. V., … Bremm, C. (2013). Tillering in Italian ryegrass established after soybean or corn, under different stockings and grazing intensities. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 48(3), 329–338. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-3921.pab2013.v48.11154

Issue

Section

ANIMAL SCIENCE