Suitability Evaluation of Three Tropical Pasture Species (Mulato II, Gatton Panic, and Rhodes Grass) for Cultivation under a Subtropical Climate of Australia
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2022-09-01
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MDPI (Basel, Switzerland)
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Suitability Evaluation of Three Tropical Pasture Species (Mulato II, Gatton Panic, and Rhodes Grass) for Cultivation under a Subtropical Climate of Australia
by Priyanath Jayasinghe 1,2ORCID,Daniel J. Donaghy 1ORCID,David G. Barber 3,Keith G. Pembleton 4,*ORCID andThiagarajah Ramilan 1ORCID
1
School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11 222, Palmerston North 4440, New Zealand
2
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Export Agriculture, Uva Wellassa University, Badulla 90000, Sri Lanka
3
Agri-Science Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland, University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Lawes, QLD 4343, Australia
4
Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems and School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD 4350, Australia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2032; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092032
Submission received: 9 July 2022 / Revised: 15 August 2022 / Accepted: 16 August 2022 / Published: 26 August 2022
(This article belongs to the Section Grassland and Pasture Science)
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Abstract
Exploring improved tropical forages is considered to be an important approach in delivering quality and consistent feed options for dairy cattle in tropical and subtropical regions. The present study aimed to study the suitability of three improved tropical grasses, Chloris gayana ‘Rhodes grass cv. Reclaimer’ (RR), Megathyrsus maximus ‘Gatton Panic’ (GP), and Brachiaria ruziziensis x B. decumbens x B. brizantha ‘Brachiaria Mulato II’ (BM) evaluating their carbon assimilation, canopy structure, herbage plant–part accumulation and quality parameters under irrigated conditions. An experiment was conducted at Gatton Research Dairy (27°54′ S, 152°33′ E, 89 m asl) Queensland, Australia, which has a predominantly subtropical climate. Photosynthesis biochemistry, canopy structure, herbage accumulation, plant part composition, and nutritive value were evaluated. Photosynthesis biochemistry differed between pasture species. Efficiency of CO2 assimilation was highest for GP and quantum efficiency was highest for BM. Pasture canopy structure was significantly affected by an interaction between pasture species and harvest. Forage biomass accumulation was highest in GP, while BM produced more leaf and less stem compared to both GP and RR. A greater leafy stratum and lower stemmy stratum depth were observed in the vertical sward structure of BM. Brachiaria Mulato II showed greater carbon partitioning to leaves, leaf: stem ratio, canopy, and leaf bulk density. It also demonstrated greater nutritive value (Total digestible nutrients (TDN), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), neutral detergent insoluble protein (NDICP), Starch, nonfibre carbohydrates (NFC), metabolisable energy (ME), mineral profile (Mg, P, K, Fe, Zn) and dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) for leaf, stem, and the whole plant. Greater quantum efficiency, leaf accumulation, and nutritive value of BM observed in the present study suggest BM as an attractive forage option for dairying that warrants further research in pasture-based systems in tropical and subtropical climates.
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Jayasinghe P, Donaghy DJ, Barber DG, Pembleton KG, Ramilan T. (2022). Suitability Evaluation of Three Tropical Pasture Species (Mulato II, Gatton Panic, and Rhodes Grass) for Cultivation under a Subtropical Climate of Australia. Agronomy. 12. 9.