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Productivity and Persistence of Rhizoma Peanut Pastures under Different Grazing Managements
Author(s) -
OrtegaS. J. A.,
Sollenberger L. E.,
Quesenberry K. H.,
Jones C. S.,
Cornell J. A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1992.00021962008400050008x
Subject(s) - grazing , rdm , loam , perennial plant , forage , legume , dry matter , agronomy , chemistry , zoology , biology , soil water , ecology , psychology , pedagogy
‘Florigraze’ rhizoma peanut ( Arachis glabrata Benth.) is a perennial legume of high forage quality adapted to warm climates, but there has been no comprehensive evaluation of its responses to grazing management. In 1988 and 1989, the effects of grazing frequency and intensity on Florigraze persistence and herbage accumulation (HA) were evaluated on a loamy, siliceous, hyperthermic Grossarenic Paleudults soil. All 12 combinations of three levels of residual dry matter after grazing (RDM, 500, 1500, and 2500 kg ha‐') and four grazing cycle lengths (GC; 7, 21, 42, and 63 d between grazings, including a 0.5‐ to 2‐d grazing period) were replicated twice. Data were analyzed by fitting multiple regression equations starting with a second order polynomial model. In 1988, rhizoma peanut HA ranged from 6130 to 10 240 kg ha − and increased linearly as GC and RDM increased. There was a GC‐by‐RDM interaction for rhizoma peanut HA in 1989, whereby at low RDM, increasing GC increased HA, but GC had less effect as RDM increased. In 1989, rhizoma peanut HA of at least 8800 kg ha − was estimated to occur with GC of 42 d or longer when RDM was 1500 kg ha − or greater. Rhizoma peanut percentage in HA was greatest with high RDM and long GC, but values of 80% or greater in the second year were estimated for RDM as low as 1300 kg ha − when GC was 63 d, or with GC as low as 7 d when RDM was above 2300 kg ha − . Lowest values were obtained with low RDM and short GC. These data indicate that unlike most tropical legumes, rhizoma peanut is productive and persistent over a relatively wide range of grazing management practices.