Potencial Forrageiro de Novos Clones de Capim-Elefante

Abstract

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the forage potential of new selected clones of elephantgrass. The evaluation was conducted at the Dairy Cattle Research Centre - EMBRAPA, Coronel Pacheco, Minas Gerais, for two consecutive years. Twenty selected clones obtained by the elephantgrass breeding program were evaluated, and two traditional cultivars Cameroon and Taiwan A - 146 were used as control. The experimental procedure was a randomized block design with four replicates. The fertilization for both establishment and maintenance was applied according to the soil chemical analysis and elephant grass nutritional requirements. Significant differences among the clones were observed regarding to forage production potential, leaf:stem ratio, and aerial and basal tillering. The majority of the evaluated new clones were superior to the traditional cultivars Cameroon and Taiwan A-146 with relation to dry matter production during the dry and rainy periods. Crude protein content in the forage did not differ among the new clones and the control cultivars (Cameroon and Taiwan A-146), during both dry and rainy seasons. The clone F 27-01, released as elephant grass cultivar Pioneiro, was superior for the most evaluated agronomic traits.