Morphophysiological Adaptations of Brachiaria humidicola Cultivars under Grazing

Pastures of Brachiaria humidicola are broadly used in Brazil, especially in soils with low fertility and poor drain-age (Valle et al. 2010). Currently, 3 cultivars are commercially available: Tully, Llanero and BRS Tupi (available since 2012). Despite the extensive use of this species, research has focused primarily on aspects related to herbage and animal production, while only a few studies aimed at understanding morphological adaptations of the plants when subjected to grazing and contrasting environmental conditions. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate some morphological traits of 2 B. humidicola cultivars when continuously stocked during 2 seasons of the year.