Selection of interspecific Brachiaria hybrids to intensify milk production on pastures
Antonio Vander Pereira, Fausto de Souza Sobrinho, Cacilda Borges do Valle, Francisco José da Silva Lédo, Milton de Andrade Botrel, Jackson Silva e Oliveira, and Deise Ferreira Xavier
Milk production in Brazil is largely based on pasture utilization which represents an inexpensive feed compared to processed or conserved forages. Brachiaria brizantha and B. decumbens are prevalent in Brazil owing to their high yield potential and good adaptation to acid and infertile soils. Their forage quality is however considered low in view of the nutritional needs of animals of high genetic potential for milk production. Fortunately there is intra and interspecific variation for forage quality in Brachiaria germplasm to be exploited in the development of new cultivars.This paper reports on the evaluation of 47 interspecific hybrids between B. ruziziensis (R) x B. brizantha (B) and R x B. decumbens (D), with the objective of selecting potential new cultivars that combine high yield and forage quality. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with two replicates and two common cultivars as controls. Data of the total dry matter yield, dry matter percentage, plant height and regrowth vigor of six cuts were collected. Samples from the third cut were analyzed for nutritive value using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Results confirmed the existence of variability for the majority of the traits analyzed so high quality and productive hybrids can be selected.