Compatibility, persistence, and nutritive value of grass - legume associations in wet - dry tropics of coastal Ecuador

ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT DEFICIENCIES MAKE THE USE OF ADAPTED FORAGE LEGUMES THE MOST FEASIBLE MEANS OF FIXING ATMOSPHERIC NITROGEN AND PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY FEED DURING THESE PERIODS OF CLIMATIC STRESS. THE COMPATIBILITY AND PERSISTENCE OF 18 GRASS-LEGUME ASSOCIATIONS AND THE EFFECT OF FORAGE PRODUCTION AND QUALITY RESULTING FROM THE INCLUSION OF A LEGUME INTO THE SWARD WAS STUDIED FROM MAY, 1972 TO FEBRUARY, 1973 ON THE COAST OF ECUADOR. THREE AND SIX WEEK CLIPPING FREQUENCIES WERE USED ON PANCIUM MAXIMUM JACQ., PENNISETUM PURPUREUM SCHUMACH, HYPARRHENIA RUFA (NEES) STAPF., DIGITARIA DECUMBENS STENT., CYNODON PLECTOSTACHYUS (SCHUM.) PILGER, AND CENCHRUS CILIARIS (L.) LINK, EACH OF WHICH WAS SUBJECTED TO FIVE TREATMENTS. THE CONTROL AND N FERTILIZED TREATMENTS WERE ON PURE STRANDS OF EACH GRASS SPECIES, WHICH THE LEGUMES CENTROSEMA PUBESCENS BENTH, MACROPTILIUM ATROPURPUREUM, AND DESMODIUM INTORTUM (MILL.) URB. WERE INCORPORATED WITH THE GRASS SPECIES IN THE REMAINING THREE TREATMENTS. P. PURPUREUM OUTYIELDED THE OTHER GRASS SPECIES, FOLLOWED BY P. MAXIMUM, WHILE THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HIGHEST YIELDING N FERTILIZED AND C. PUBESCENS TREATMENTS. ALTHOUGH N FERTILIZATION RESULTED IN A GREATER OVERALL PRODUCTION OF DRY MATTER, THE INCORPORATION OF A COMPATIBLE ADAPTED LEGUME RESULTED IN A HIGHER QUALITY SWARD IN TERMS OF CRUDE PROTEIN YIELD.