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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Agronomic responses and herbage nutritive value of elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus) genotypes grown as monocrops and mixed with butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea)

Pedro H. F. da Silva https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0794-4499 A * , Mércia V. F. dos Santos A , Alexandre C. L. de Mello A , Tafnes B. Sales Silva A , Djalma E. Simões Neto B , Valdson J. da Silva https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5650-9648 A , José C. B. Dubeux Jr. C , Janerson J. Coelho https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1570-9461 A , Evaristo J. O. de Souza D and Márcio V. da Cunha A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Animal Science, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Recife, PE 52171-900, Brazil.

B Sugarcane Experimental Station of Carpina, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Carpina, PE, Brazil.

C North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Marianna, FL, USA.

D Academic Unit of Serra Talhada, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Serra Talhada, PE, Brazil.

* Correspondence to: pehenrique1709@gmail.com

Handling Editor: Brendan Cullen

Crop & Pasture Science 74(12) 1210-1222 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP22397
Submitted: 14 December 2022  Accepted: 28 March 2023   Published: 21 April 2023

© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context: Introducing legumes into grass-based forage systems may increase herbage nutritive value while reducing the need for inorganic nitrogen fertilisation. Grass–legume intercrops may also enhance herbage yield stability.

Aim: We evaluated agronomic and nutritional traits of elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus Schum.) genotypes grown as monocrops and mixed with butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.).

Methods: Elephant grass genotypes, two tall (Elephant B and IRI-381) and two dwarf (Mott and Taiwan A-146 2.37), were grown as monocultures or intercropped with butterfly pea in a 2-year trial. Herbage accumulation, yield stability, botanical composition and chemical/bromatological variables were evaluated.

Key results: Herbage accumulation was highest (P < 0.001) in Elephant B under monocropping (21.9 t/ha.year); however, this treatment revealed the lowest yield stability over harvest times (σi2 5.59). All intercrops were more stable than grass monocrops (mean σi2 0.66 vs 2.55). Higher (P < 0.001) concentrations of herbage crude protein were found in intercrops than monocrops (mean 113 vs 90 g/kg). Intercrop herbage lignin contents (mean 57 g/kg) and protein fraction C (mean 61 g/kg) were higher than those in monocrops. Dwarf Mott had higher (P = 0.001) digestible dry matter concentration than dwarf Taiwan (755 vs 745 g/kg).

Conclusions: Dwarf Mott genotype has outstanding nutritive value because of its higher leaf:stem ratio. Butterfly pea legume added to elephant grass crop in cut-and-carry systems improves herbage yield stability by reducing seasonal effects.

Implications: Intercropping butterfly pea in grass-based systems enhances yield stability, allowing herbage harvest with good nutritive value.

Keywords: Cenchrus purpureus, Clitoria ternatea, cropping system, digestibility, herbage accumulation, indigestible protein, plant height, yield stability.


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