Developmental stages and morphological characteristics of leaf blades and tillers of signalgrass under continuos stoking
Keywords:
Brachiaria decumbens, grazing, leaf area, morphological composition, stemAbstract
The characterization of tillers and their leaf blades regarding their developmental stage allow one to infer on the pasture structure, which determines the responses of both forage grasses and grazing animals. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological characteristics the leaf blades and tillers of Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. cv. Basilisk with distinct developmental stages managed under continuous stocking with cattle. In the first study, the developmental stage of leaf blades (leaf insertion level: 1, 2, 3 and 4) were analyzed, while in the second, individual tillers (tillers with 2, 3 and 4 fully expanded leaf) were the treatments. Randonmized block design with three repetitions was used. Insertion height of the leaf blade (LB) in the tiller, grazed LB percentage, leaf area, mass, specific leaf area and LB length according to its insertion level in the tiller were evaluated. Both stem and LB lengths and percentages as well as tiller weight were also quantified related to its number of expanded leaves. For each new fully expanded leaf in the tiller, there was around 2 cm increase in the height of the insertion of LB. There was no difference in the percentage of LF grazed for different leaf insertion levels in the tiller, which had an average value of 56.6%. Leaf area, mass and length of the LB increased, whereas the specific leaf area decreased linearly with the increase of the tiller leaf insertion level. The stem percentage decreased, but the stem and the LB lengths, the LF percentage and the tiller weight increased with the number of expanded leaves per tiller. During the tillers development, morphological characteristics of tiller and leaf blade are modified. The canopy of B. decumbens, having an average of 25 cm in height under continuous stocking, showed tillers with two to four expanded leaves with proper morphological characteristics.
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