Grazing height management does not change the persistence pathway of Andropogon lateralis in a natural pasture

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate tiller dynamics and population stability of Andropogon lateralis in a natural pasture subjected to grazing height management under intermittent stocking method. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with four treatments and four replicates, in 16 experimental units of 875 m² each. The treatments consisted of four pre-grazing heights of A. lateralis (12, 20, 28, and 36 cm), which was grazed until its initial height was reduced by 40%. Dynamics of tiller birth and death were evaluated using the marked tiller technique over a period of 18 months, from October 2015 to March 2017. The results indicate that the use of different heights for the management of natural pastures does not affect the stability of the tiller population of A. lateralis and that, regardless of the management strategy, the persistent pathway of this species is mainly based on the maintenance of high-tiller survival rates.