Longer cutting intervals on the characteristics of Guinea grass: morphogenetic, productive, and nutritional traits

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of longer cutting intervals on morphogenetic and structural traits, herbage production, nutritional value, and in vitro digestibility of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça (Mombaça grass). Four cutting intervals (49, 63, 77, and 91 days) were evaluated in two crop years (2015-2016 and 2016-2017) during the rainy season, in two replicates. Cutting intervals influenced structural and morphogenetic traits, except for number of live leaves (4.35 leaves tiller^-1) and final leaf length (72.94 cm) in the 2015-2016 crop year. As the cutting intervals increased, dry matter yield and stem percentage increased, whereas leaf percentage and leaf-to-stem ratio declined. Regardless of the evaluated crop year, the dry matter, acid detergent fiber, and lignin contents increased linearly; however, the neutral detergent fiber content was unaffected. Cutting intervals affected the crude protein content and in vitro digestibility. Considering leaf appearance rate, stem appearance rate, and leaf-to-stem ratio, the recommended harvest age for Mombaça grass for optimum yield and nutritional value is 77 days.

Keywords:
forage production; forage preservation; in vitro digestibility; nutritional value

Authorship

Luciana Junges

Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Sen. Filinto Müler, 2443, 79070-900, Campo Grande, Mato Groso do Sul, Brazil. Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do SulBrazilCampo Grande, Mato Groso do Sul, BrazilFaculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Av. Sen. Filinto Müler, 2443, 79070-900, Campo Grande, Mato Groso do Sul, Brazil.

Eva Nara Oliveira Gomes

Anderson Ramires Candido

Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo

Camila Celeste Brandão Ferreira Ítavo

Elson Martins Coelho

Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Palmeira das Missões, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Universidade Federal de Santa MariaBrazilPalmeira das Missões, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilUniversidade Federal de Santa Maria, Palmeira das Missões, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Gelson dos Santos Difante

Geraldo Tadeu dos Santos

Alexandre Menezes Dias ^** Author for correspondence. E-mail: alexandre.menezes@ufms.br

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4267-9421

* Author for correspondence. E-mail: alexandre.menezes@ufms.br

SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Figures | Tables

Figures (1)
Tables (4)

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Figure 1
Monthly average, minimum, and maximum temperatures and precipitation during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 experimental year. The historical 30‐year average rainfall can be found at https://www.climatempo.com.br/climatologia/1154/terenos-ms

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Table 1
Morphogenetic and structural traits of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça tillers at different cutting intervals.

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Table 2
Yield and structural and morphological traits of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça at different cutting intervals.

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Table 3
Chemical composition of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça at different cutting intervals.

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Table 4
In vitro digestibility of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça at different cutting intervals.

Figure 1 Monthly average, minimum, and maximum temperatures and precipitation during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 experimental year. The historical 30‐year average rainfall can be found at https://www.climatempo.com.br/climatologia/1154/terenos-ms

Table 1 Morphogenetic and structural traits of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça tillers at different cutting intervals.

	Cutting interval (days)				SEM	p-value		Regression equation
	49	63	77	91	SEM	Linear	Quadratic	Regression equation
2015-2016 crop year
Leaf appearance rate (leaves day^-1)	0.13	0.10	0.10	0.09	0.007	0.003	0.298	Y=0.1701-0.001*x (R²=0.87)
Phyllochron (days tiller^-1)	8.15	10.65	11.49	12.29	0.284	0.001	0.218	Y=4.2414+0.088*x (R²=0.91)
Leaf lifespan (days)	36.19	39.47	49.67	48.44	2.517	0.013	0.539	Y=20.7505+0.313*x (R²=0.83)
Number of live leaves (leaves tiller^-1)	4.60	3.80	4.65	4.35	0.219	0.951	0.518	Y=4.35
Leaf elongation rate (cm day^-1)	3.99	2.62	2.79	2.35	0.264	0.001	0.058	Y=3.5383-0.009*x (R²=0.91)
Stem elongation rate (cm day^-1)	0.45	0.56	0.67	0.80	0.057	0.014	0.323	Y=0.0018 + 0.009*x (R²=0.86)
Leaf senescence rate (cm day^-1)	1.18	1.62	1.72	2.74	0.268	0.025	0.650	Y=-0.3561+0.030*x (R²=0.83)
Final leaf length (cm)	75.89	72.73	75.57	67.60	2.470	0.282	0.593	Y=72.94
2016-2017 crop year
Leaf appearance rate (leaves day^-1)	0.08	0.07	0.06	0.05	0.004	0.001	0.622	Y=0.1069-0.001*x (R²=0.92)
Phyllochron (days tiller^-1)	15.73	15.27	17.68	21.74	1.168	0.020	0.213	Y=7.7261+0.136*x (R²=0.80)
Leaf lifespan (days)	63.73	50.65	54.62	62.48	2.938	0.020	0.047	Y=173.525-3.372x+0.023x² (R²=0.93)
Number of live leaves (leaves tiller^-1)	4.53	3.78	3.27	3.27	0.175	0.001	0.037	Y=9.9327-0.1493x+0.001x² (R²=0.99)
Leaf elongation rate (cm day^-1)	2.03	1.99	1.54	1.17	0.119	0.001	0.148	Y=3.1499-0.020*x (R²=0.92)
Stem elongation rate (cm day^-1)	0.11	0.14	0.13	0.19	0.012	0.006	0.489	Y=0.0266+0.001*x (R²=0.79)
Leaf senescence rate (cm day^-1)	0.45	0.47	0.90	1.48	0.154	0.003	0.098	Y=-0.6437+0.020*x (R²=0.79)
Final leaf length (cm)	33.89	45.36	45.40	46.75	1.993	0.003	0.058	Y=24.1834+0.257*x (R²=0.69)

Table 2 Yield and structural and morphological traits of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça at different cutting intervals.

	Cutting interval (days)				SEM	p-value		Regression equation
	49	63	77	91	SEM	Linear	Quadratic	Regression equation
2015-2016 crop year
Total dry mass yield (t ha^-1)	2.72	4.03	5.16	6.04	0.379	0.001	0.113	Y=-0.985+0.077*x (R²= 0.99)
Leaf (g kg^-1)	713.12	655.23	586.09	485.57	12.730	0.001	0.215	Y=1114.765-6.202*x (R²=0.93)
Stem (g kg^-1)	254.88	300.61	362.82	452.33	5.322	0.002	0.341	Y=88.902+3.443*x (R²=0.98)
Senescent (g kg^-1)	32.00	44.16	51.09	62.10	8.387	0.001	0.435	Y=9.769+0.548*x (R²=0.96)
Leaf-to-stem ratio	2.80	2.18	1.62	1.07	1.756	0.001	0.141	Y=4.435-0.036*x (R²=0.92)
2016-2017 crop year
Total dry mass yield (t ha^-1)	2.34	3.26	3.85	5.27	0.346	0.001	0.373	Y=-0.8506+0.062*x (R²=0.97)
Leaf (g kg^-1)	675.01	632.26	572.02	476.84	9.065	0.001	0.096	Y=888.980-4.287*x (R²=0.92)
Stem (g kg^-1)	295.51	333.97	385.91	469,15	3.285	0.001	0.125	Y=69.005+4.252x (R²=0.96)
Senescent (g kg^-1)	29.48	33.77	42.07	54.01	6.370	0.182	0.429	Y=3.006+0.529*(R²=0.98)
Leaf-to-stem ratio	2.28	2.16	2.00	0.86	0.215	0.001	0.123	Y=3.556-0.028*x (R²=0.96)

SEM = standard error of the mean.

Table 3 Chemical composition of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça at different cutting intervals.

	Cutting interval (days)				SEM	p-value		Regression equation
	49	63	77	91	SEM	Linear	Quadratic	Regression equation
2015-2016 crop year
Dry matter (g kg^-1)	249.65	267.70	289.30	325.61	1.033	0.001	0.019	Y=144.366+2.027*x (R²=0.97)
Organic matter (g kg^-1)	913.98	915.24	910.50	914.95	2.325	0.415	0.589	Y=913.67
Crude protein (g kg^-1)	65.34	54.37	52.96	41.55	2.257	0.002	0.185	Y=81.025-0.387*x (R²=0.94)
Neutral detergent fiber (g kg^-1)	730.75	748.65	753.53	766.42	2.872	0.722	0.419	Y=748.84
Acid detergent fiber (g kg^-1)	476.78	500.42	550.8	592.68	5.058	0.001	0.428	Y=380.39+2.120*x (R²=0.96)
Lignin (g kg^-1)	50.14	60.55	67.79	79.09	0.372	0.107	0.207	Y=13.685+0.718*x (R²=0.99)
2016-2017 crop year
Dry matter (g kg^-1)	250.98	268.77	273.89	290.99	0.920	0.001	0.215	Y=205.499+0.935*x (R²=0.99)
Organic matter (g kg^-1)	909.34	912.33	911.20	912.96	1.605	0.907	0.309	Y=911.46
Crude protein (g kg^-1)	61.74	51.75	45.88	40.50	4.967	0.001	0.052	Y=78.348-0.368*x (R²=0.94)
Neutral detergent fiber (g kg^-1)	752.30	758.77	755.16	767.81	4.630	0.137	0.882	Y=758.51
Acid detergent fiber (g kg^-1)	494.47	507.46	538.73	569.54	3.948	0.865	0.377	Y=439.583+1.218*x (R²=0.96)
Lignin (g kg^-1)	53.56	60.39	66.61	75.37	0.526	0.327	0.729	Y=31.68+0.469*x (R²=0.99)

SEM = standard error of the mean.

Table 4 In vitro digestibility of Guinea grass cv. Mombaça at different cutting intervals.

	Cutting interval (days)				SEM	p-value		Regression equation
	49	63	77	91	SEM	Linear	Quadratic	Regression equation
2015-2016 crop year
IVDMD (g kg^-1 DM)	589.01	535.08	495.95	453.61	6.436	0.001	0.877	Y=759.854-3.609*x (R²=0.96)
IVOMD (g kg^-1 DM)	555.58	508.47	461.64	413.73	9.741	0.001	0.689	Y=739.555-3.770*x (R²=0.98)
IVCPD (g kg^-1 DM)	710.63	679.78	664.47	660.56	9.655	0.028	0.383	Y=758.829-1.102*x (R²=0.90)
IVNDFD (g kg^-1 DM)	476.46	458.11	410.35	349.83	10.167	0.001	0.783	Y=641.841-3.398*x (R²=0.92)
IVADFD (g kg^-1 DM)	341.96	324.78	314.78	255.42	10.482	0.001	0.638	Y=477.379-2.784*x (R²=0.92)
2016-2017 crop year
IVDMD (g kg^-1 DM)	640.71	618.46	596.55	537.42	7.353	0.002	0.341	Y=791.152-3.019*x (R²=0.98)
IVOMD (g kg^-1 DM)	607.50	577.40	551.96	499.21	8.132	0.001	0.459	Y=731.32-2.557*x (R²=0.99)
IVCPD (g kg^-1 DM)	806.42	798.42	792.02	764.24	3.709	0.013	0.312	Y=849.538-0.815*x (R²=0.89)
IVNDFD (g kg^-1 DM)	547.60	519.83	501.40	465.73	7.657	0.002	0.233	Y=621.841-1.598* x (R²=0.87)
IVADFD (g kg^-1 DM)	461.17	429.44	414.27	354.06	8.682	0.002	0.149	Y=584.003-2.558*x (R²=0.83)

IVDMD: in vitro dry matter digestibility; IVOMD: in vitro organic matter digestibility; IVCPD: in vitro crude protein digestibility; IVNDFD: in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility; IVADFD: in vitro acid detergent fiber digestibility; *SEM = standard error of the mean.

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Longer cutting intervals on the characteristics of Guinea grass: morphogenetic, productive, and nutritional traits

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[1] * Author for correspondence. E-mail: alexandre.menezes@ufms.br