Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses

The growing number of extreme weather events has created the need to identify tropical forage grasses with greater water use efficiency (WUE) to cope with water-limited conditions. WUE can be defined as the ratio of forage biomass produced per unit of water used. However, WUE is a dynamic ratio that...

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Main Authors: Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés, Jiménez, Juan, Sotelo Cabrera, Mauricio Efren, Rao, Idupulapati M., Peters, Michael
Format: Conference Paper
Language:Inglés
Published: Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115813
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author Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés
Jiménez, Juan
Sotelo Cabrera, Mauricio Efren
Rao, Idupulapati M.
Peters, Michael
author_browse Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés
Jiménez, Juan
Peters, Michael
Rao, Idupulapati M.
Sotelo Cabrera, Mauricio Efren
author_facet Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés
Jiménez, Juan
Sotelo Cabrera, Mauricio Efren
Rao, Idupulapati M.
Peters, Michael
author_sort Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The growing number of extreme weather events has created the need to identify tropical forage grasses with greater water use efficiency (WUE) to cope with water-limited conditions. WUE can be defined as the ratio of forage biomass produced per unit of water used. However, WUE is a dynamic ratio that changes according to environmental gradients (e.g., water or nutrient availability) or ontogenetic drift (e.g., changes in root to shoot biomass allocation across phenological stages). Furthermore, genetic improvement leading to greater WUE is likely to result in smaller plants that produce less than the required forage biomass to sustain good animal performance. Bearing that in mind, other alternatives for improving WUE must be taken into consideration. Grazing management is one among such alternatives. Results from a greenhouse experiment conducted with a number of forage grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana, Megathyrsus maximus, Urochloa spp.) at the Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT showed that different grazing intensities lead to various WUEs. Improved WUE values in grasses can be achieved through grazing management if it moderates the process of evapotranspiration by 1) reducing leaf area per plant; and 2) maintaining soil cover from pasture growth and productivity. Our results suggest that WUE in pastures planted with tropical forage grasses can be enhanced through moderate rotational grazing.
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spelling CGSpace1158132025-12-08T10:29:22Z Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés Jiménez, Juan Sotelo Cabrera, Mauricio Efren Rao, Idupulapati M. Peters, Michael grazing systems pastures water use sistemas de pastoreo pastizales uso del agua cenchrus ciliaris chloris gayana urochloa The growing number of extreme weather events has created the need to identify tropical forage grasses with greater water use efficiency (WUE) to cope with water-limited conditions. WUE can be defined as the ratio of forage biomass produced per unit of water used. However, WUE is a dynamic ratio that changes according to environmental gradients (e.g., water or nutrient availability) or ontogenetic drift (e.g., changes in root to shoot biomass allocation across phenological stages). Furthermore, genetic improvement leading to greater WUE is likely to result in smaller plants that produce less than the required forage biomass to sustain good animal performance. Bearing that in mind, other alternatives for improving WUE must be taken into consideration. Grazing management is one among such alternatives. Results from a greenhouse experiment conducted with a number of forage grasses (Cenchrus ciliaris, Chloris gayana, Megathyrsus maximus, Urochloa spp.) at the Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT showed that different grazing intensities lead to various WUEs. Improved WUE values in grasses can be achieved through grazing management if it moderates the process of evapotranspiration by 1) reducing leaf area per plant; and 2) maintaining soil cover from pasture growth and productivity. Our results suggest that WUE in pastures planted with tropical forage grasses can be enhanced through moderate rotational grazing. 2021-10-25 2021-11-03T15:38:52Z 2021-11-03T15:38:52Z Conference Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115813 en Open Access application/pdf application/pdf Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture Cardoso, J.A; Jiménez, J.; Sotelo, M.; Rao, I.M.; Peters, M. (2021) Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses. Paper presented at the Joint XXIV International Grassland Congress and XI Rangeland 2021 Congress, Nairobi, Kenya, 25-29 October 2021. Cali (Colombia): Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT.
spellingShingle grazing systems
pastures
water use
sistemas de pastoreo
pastizales
uso del agua
cenchrus ciliaris
chloris gayana
urochloa
Cardoso Arango, Juan Andrés
Jiménez, Juan
Sotelo Cabrera, Mauricio Efren
Rao, Idupulapati M.
Peters, Michael
Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
title Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
title_full Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
title_fullStr Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
title_full_unstemmed Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
title_short Importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
title_sort importance of grazing management in improving water use efficiency of pastures with tropical forage grasses
topic grazing systems
pastures
water use
sistemas de pastoreo
pastizales
uso del agua
cenchrus ciliaris
chloris gayana
urochloa
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115813
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