Tiller population density and demography dynamics of Convert HD 364 brachiariagrass in response to canopy height and growth rate under continuous stocking

Author(s)

Liliane Severino da Silva

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2015-10-05

Examining board members

Carlos Guilherme Silveira Pedreira; Gustavo José Braga; Patricia Menezes Santos

• Advisor: Carlos Guilherme Silveira Pedreira

Abstract

Pasture-based livestock production is one of the major economic activities in Brazil. In general, the adoption of new forage materials by producers happens before enough information about their characteristics is generated, compromising their use in commercial systems. An experiment was conducted in Piracicaba, Brazil (22º42\' S, 47º30\' W, 580 m asl.), during two summer growing seasons, with the objective to describe and explain the tillering dynamics of the hybrid brachiariagrass Convert HD 364 (Brachiaria hybrid CIAT 36087) under continuous stocking and variable stocking rate. Responses studied were tiller population density (TPD), tillering demography (appearance rate-TAR - and survival rate- TSR), stability index (SI), average tiller weight (ATW), forage mass (FM), leaf area index (LAI), light interception (LI), mean leaf angle (MLA), stem apex height (hapex) and collar height of the youngest fully expanded leaf (hleaf). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with a factorial arrangement including all possible combinations between three sward heights (10, 25 and 40 cm) and growth rates (50 and 250 kg N ha-1 year-1), with three replications. The data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS and means compared using \"t\" test (P<=0.05). At 10 cm canopy height, Convert HD 364 had TPD 10 and 25% greater than at 25 and 40 cm, respectively. High growth rate resulted in 10% greater TPD and 9% lesser AWT. The 40-cm canopy resulted in ATW 80 and 274% greater than those at 25 and 10 cm, respectively. Under low and high growth rate, respectively, FM of 40-cm canopies was 163 and 41% greater than those of 10- -cm swards. Both, hapex and hleaf, responded similarly to treatments and were greater in taller canopies. Except for the 25-cm canopies there was no difference between growth rates in these responses. At greater growth rate TAR was 29% greater, whereas TSR 13% lesser. TAR and TSR varied along the experimental period, suggesting that they are affected by environmental factors. At the lower growth rate, there was no variation in SI along the experimental period, whereas at the high growth rate SI in February was 20 and 35% greater than in January and March, respectively. The determination of meristem location is an important tool to adequate planning of management strategies in animal production system under grazing. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/11664-7 - Population density and tiller dynamics of Mulato II brachiariagrass in response to canopy height and contrasting growth rates under continuous stocking
• Grantee: Liliane Severino da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master