Seasonal changes in growth and nodulation of perennial tropical pasture legumes in the field. I. The influence of planting date and grazing and cutting on Desmodium uncinatum and Phaseolus atropurpureus

Abstract

Plantings of D. uncinatum and P. atropuvpureus were made in October and December 1965 and February and April 1966, and subsequently the plots were either rotationally grazed by sheep, cut with a mower at 3 inches, or left undefoliated. Monthly samples were taken to determine individual plant dry weight, nodule weight per plant, nodule number, and mean weight per nodule. Three samples for plot dry matter yield were also taken. Individual plant dry weight was higher in the October and December sowings, although by the end of the second growing season dry matter yield per plot was higher in the December and February sowings. Dry matter yield of legume was depressed by April planting. D. uncinatum began regrowth in spring 2 months earlier than P, atropurpureus, when minimum temperatures exceeded 48-50¦F compared with 57' for P. atropurpureus. Both species had marked seasonal peaks in nodule and plant dry weight. The rapid decline in nodule weight could not be directly related to the onset of flowering or frosts. Grazing caused a greater reduction than cutting in terms of plant and nodule weight and legume yield. In P. atropurpureus nodule weight per plant was reduced through a decline in mean weight per nodule, while in D. uncinatum grazing and cutting reduced nodule number per plant.