Establishment and early persistence of ten forage legumes under three grazing regimes in southern Mozambique

Abstract

Leucaena leucocephala, Clitoria ternatea, Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro, Cassia rotundifolia cv. Wynn, Macrotyloma axillare cv. Archer, Stylosanthes guianensis var. guianensis cv. Graham, S. guianensis var. intermedia cv. Oxley, S. hamata cv. Verano and S. scabra cv. Fitzroy and cv. Seca were screened for their ability to establish at five coastal sites of Maputo province, Mozambique. Three grazing treatments were imposed in strips: continuous access, dry-season-only access and an ungrazed control. Grazing pressure was dependent on the movement of communal cattle and goat herds. Mean seedling emergence ranged from a low of 28% for Graham to a high of 78% for Siratro. First season mean seedling vigour (1-10) differed (P = 0.01) among entries and ranged from 4.0 for Graham to 8.0 for Seca. First-year dry season individual plant vigour showed an interaction (P = 0.1) between grazing treatment and entry with Siratro and Seca plots averaging 3.0 or better. Dry season plot cover likewise showed an interaction (P = 0.002) between treatment and entry with Siratro and Seca averaging over 20%. Second rainy season vigour showed differences (P = 0.03) among species only, with Siratro and Seca having values over 7.0. Plot cover was likewise differentiated only among species (P = 0.0006) with Siratro and Seca both covering 59% of their plots, superior to C. ternatea (19%), L. leucocephala (9%), Archer (7%), Verano (16%), Fitzroy (28%), Graham (29%), and Wynn (4%). Oxley (36%)was undifferentiated from either group. Overall, Siratro and Seca had the best establishment whilst Oxley showed promise. Deferred grazing generally appeared to have little effect on establishment.

Keywords: cassia rotundifolia; clitoria ternatea; forage; forage banks; forage legumes; grazing pressure; grazing treatments; leucaena leucocephala; macroptilium atropurpureum; macrotyloma axillare; mozambique; persistence; plant vigour; stylosanthes guianensis; stylosanthes hamata; stylosanthes scabra; tropical legumes

African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 10(3): pp. 135-139