Productivity performance of Tithonia diversifolia in grazing with different rest times during both seasons of year

摘要

ProductiveperformanceofTithoniadiversifoliawasstudiedwithdifferentresttimesinbothseasonsoftheyear.Resttimesforrainyanddryperiodswere30,60,90and120daysand60,90,120and150days,respectively.Beforegrazing,withacompletelyrandomizedexperimentaldesignwith5replications,indicatorslikeplantheight(m),numberofstems/stake,sproutsperplant,percentageofdrymatter(%),availability(tDMha-1)andpercentageofutilization(%)wereevaluated.Thestudiedindicatorsshoweddifferencesduringbothclimaticperiods.With60daysofrestintherainyperiod,meanavailabilitywas2.28tDMha-1for3grazingwithoutdifferingfromthe2.64tDMha-1obtainedwith90daysofrestwithonlytwograzing.Thelowerplantheightwith60daysofrest(169cm)favoredtheuseofavailablebiomass.Biomassproduction(1.36tDMha-1)inthedryseasonwaslowerwith4grazing(60daysofrest)anddifferedfromtherestofthestudiedtimes.Thehighestavailability(2.93tDMha-1)inthisperiodwasobservedwith90daysofrest,whereonly183.83cmofplantheightwasreached.Theresultsshowthat,undertheseexperimentalconditions,itispossibletomanagetheTithoniadiversifoliainSilvopastoralSystemswith60and90daysofrestduringtherainyanddryseasons,respectively,sincetheyshowedbetterproductiveperformanceofplantinasimulatedrotationalgrazing.