Initial flowering, dry matter yield and nutritive value of tropical forage grasses under natural shading

Abstract

An experiment was undertaken to study six different species of tropical forage grasses as their nutritive value, flowering and dry matter production when under the shade of Anadenanthera macrocarpa trees. The grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Panicum maximum cvs. Aruana, Makueni, Mombaça and Tanzânia, and Cynodon dactylon cv. Tifton 68 were studied. Grass performance under trees was compared to that in a nearby area in full sunlight (check). Shade delayed the initial flowering of all grasses, to a variable degree depending on the species. Grass dry matter yield was reduced by shade, except in harvest 3, where grass growth did not differ between treatments. Tifton 68 was not tolerant to shade and the other grasses exhibited moderate tolerance. The N concentrations in the leaves of all grasses increased significantly under shade in comparison to the full sunlight condition. Similarly, the IVDMD of the whole plants increased under shade condition.