Many Cynodon dactylon cultivars have been cultivated in Rio Grande do Sul state to be used as pasture or hay to feed dairy cattle. Quick determination of the nutritional value of these forages would be valuable for management and diet planning. This work had the objective to develop calibration curves for analysis of the nutritional value of four Cynodon cultivars (Tifton 68, Tifton 85, Florakirk, Coastcross), using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). A total of 129 fresh samples of green […]

The forage digestion characteristics can better be understood when associated with studies of tissue anatomy of forage species. Aiming at new focus to this issue, the area of several tissues present in leaves and stems of B. brizantha and B. humidicola, were determined at three different regions of the plant. The assay was carried out at greenhouse, with plants growing in pots with sterilized sand, receiving nutritive solution of macro and micronutrients. After 70 days of growing period, the segment […]

The corn hybrids AG 510 and AG 5011 (Agroceres) were ensiled in plastic experimental silos (four units/treatment), consisting of eight treatments: control (without inoculation), Sil-All® (S. faecium, P. acidilactici, L. plantarum, amylase, hemicellulase, and cellulase), Silobac® (L. plantarum, S. faecium, and Lactobacillus sp.), and Pioneer 1174® (S. faecium and L. plantarum). Silos were opened 106 days after ensiling and sampled to proceed chemical analyses. AG 510 and AG 5011 hybrids differed for DM (35.26 vs. 44.06%), CP (8.07 vs. 9.73%), […]

In an italian ryegrass pasture under continuous stocking with sheep, biomass flows were estimated from 2 to 20 October 1999. Treatments corresponded to four different sward heights (5, 10, 15 and 20 cm) maintained by variable stocking. The experimental design was the randomized complete block design with three replicates. The fluxes were defined by morphogenetic and structural variables obtained from measurements performed on marked tillers. During the period in which the intended sward heights were established, significant effects in sward […]

A pot trial was carried out in a greenhouse to evaluate the effect of phosphorus rates applied in two Oxisols (LVAd and LVd) (0, 110, 220, 330 and 560 mg dm-3 de P) and an Entisol (RQ) (0, 80, 160, 240 and 410 mg dm-3) on tillering and dry matter yield of shoot (SDM) and root (RDM) of Mombaçagrass (Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça), Marandugrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) and Andropogongrass (Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina) to identify critical phosphorus rates for […]

The objective of this research was to quantify morphological responses of Tanzania grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania-1) under three grazing intensities in an irrigated, rotationally stocked setting. Treatments consisted of three grazing intensities represented by three post-graze forage masses (T1=1,000; T2=2,500, and T3=4,000 kg green dry mass/ha), in a randomized complete block design with four replications. During the grazing season (eight 36-d cycles; three days of grazing followed by 33 days rest), the following measurements were taken: mean sward […]

The experiment was conducted with the objective to evaluate the agronomic production behavior of the plant and the chemical, qualitative and fermentation characteristics of silage from different corn (Zea mays, L.) hybrids: Agroceres AG-5011, Braskalb XL-344 and Cargill C-806. For the agronomic behavior of the hybrids a complete randomized experimental design was used, and for silages evaluation a randomized block design was used, where the silage utilization period was the blocking criterion. C-806 hybrid was the most precocious with an […]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of methods and storage times of stem fractions upon tillering and dry matter production of Cameroongrass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Cameroon) at 70 days after planting. Its propagation was carried out by planting culm fractions, each one containing four nodes. A split plot experiment design by time with 3 replications was used. Sorage methods of the stem fractions were: 1) tied bundles; 2) tied bundles and kept in plastic bags with […]

The winter cereals utilization in double purpose system allows to provide forage in critical food conditions periods and also to increase the income of production stablility by improving quality and produtivity of winter cereal grains. The experiment was conducted from April 1994 to September 1996, in Guarapuava, Paraná, to evaluate the potential for forage and grains of white oat (Avena sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum), triticale (X. Triticosecale Witt.), black oat (Avena strigosa Schreb), rye (Secale cereale L.) and barley […]

Variation in the abundance of 13C and biological nitrogen fixation in legume plants such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) can be used in cultivar selection programs allowing a better understanding of the physiological processes related to water use, photosynthesis and biological nitrogen fixation and their interdependence. This would supply data for selection programs for the improvement of dry matter yield (DM), water use efficiency (WUE) and biomass quality. Thus evaluation of the plant under contrasting conditions becomes necessary, therefore in […]