Agronomical Evaluation of Four Varieties of Pastures

A five-year study was carried out in the municipality of Jimaguayu, province of Camaguey, Cuba, to evaluate the agro productive performance  of four grassy pastures (Cynodon dactylon cv. Tifton 85, Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, and Brachiaria hibrido cv. Mulato) without soil irrigation or fertilization. An experimental randomized block design with three replicas was used in 20 m2  areas of brown soil without typical carbonates.  Agamic  propagation  seeds were sown at a distance  of 0.70 m between  furrows  while gamic propagation seeds were sown at a distance of 0.50 m. Dry matter yielding was determined for every cutting period (every 60 days during the rainy season and every 90 days during the dry season). Plant height was measured from the stem base to the highest foliage. A volume of 200 g of pastures was sampled twice a year to determine their bromatological composition according to AOAC (1997). Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu showed the best agro productive performance, with yieldings reaching 6.20 t/ha and 14.90 t/ha of dry matter during the dry and rainy seasons, respectively; and 12.26 % of dry protein.