Producción de materia seca en una asociación Cenchrus ciliaris - Leucaenaleucocephala al aplazar su utilización durante la época seca

In a semi-arid region in western Venezuela at Zulia state, we studied the effect of four periods of deferment of use (PDU: 42, 84, 126, and 168 days) after the first cut on the accumulation of biomass in an association of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala), estimating production of its components in the grass (leaves, stems, and dead material) and the legume fine fraction (leaves, leaf stalk, and stems with diameter less than 5 mm) and thick fraction (stems with diameter above 5 mm). Plant samples were taken at three strata for buffel (0-15, 15-30, and > 30 cm) and leucaena (0-60, 60-120, and > 120 cm). After every PDU cut, plots were harvested every 42 days to evaluate regrowth. A randomized block experimental design with three replicates was used. Results indicated yields for both species with values of 1,146 and 1,925 kg DM/ha for buffel and leucaena, respectively. There were found differences among treatments (P>0.05) only on the legume being the best PDU 42 and 0 days. The highest leaf proportion and the lowest dead material content (P<0.05) for the grass was found on the upper layer. Meanwhile, leucaena highest values of fine fraction was found on the medium layer.