Perfilhamento de híbridos de Brachiaria durante o inverno, primavera e verão

Abstract

The ability to generate new tillers promotes the development and persistence of forage grasses, ensures better soil protection against the effects of environmental factors, increases resistance to pests and diseases, controls the presence of weeds and determines forage production. Therefore, the objective of this work was to compare the tillering patterns of Brachiaria hybrids (mulato II, mavuno, ipyporã, cayana, camello, cayman and sabiá) during the seasons of the year (winter, early spring, late spring/ early summer, mid summer and late summer). The experiment was carried out from November 2021 to March 2023, in Uberlândia, MG, following a completely randomized design, with three replications. In general, the tiller appearance rate (TApP), the balance between the TApP and the tiller population stability index (IE) were lower in winter and spring/early summer, but higher in early spring and not midsummer, with intermediate values at the end of summer. In general, tiller mortality rate (TMoP) was high from winter to spring/early summer, but lower in mid and late summer. Tiller population density (DPP) was lower in winter, followed in increasing order by spring/early summer and early spring, with higher values in mid and late summer. The response variables BAL, IE, TApP, TMoP and TSoP did not differ between the evaluated hybrids. The cayana grass had the highest DPP among the seven evaluated grasses, followed by the hybrids mulato II, ipyporã and camello, while the mavunograss had the lowest DPP. The mulatto II, mavuno, cayana, sabiá, ipyporã, camello and cayman grasses have different DPP, but similar seasonal tillering patterns.