Grass and Forage Science最新文献

{"title":"Forage Responses and Beef Cattle Performance in Silvopasture Systems: A Meta-Analysis of Tropical and Subtropical Regions of Brazil","authors":"Ana Paula Corteze,&nbsp;Daniela Maria Martin,&nbsp;João Pedro Moro Flores,&nbsp;Rubia Dominschek,&nbsp;Lucas Aquino Alves,&nbsp;Gustavo Pesini,&nbsp;Laíse da Silveira Pontes,&nbsp;Jean Kassio Fedrigo,&nbsp;Leandro Bittencourt de Oliveira","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70071","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Silvopasture systems integrate tree, forage, and livestock components, offering a sustainable intensification strategy that combines environmental and productive benefits, although shading may impose constraints on forage accumulation. This study aimed to evaluate forage accumulation, nutritive value, and beef cattle performance in pastoral and silvopasture systems, comparing tropical and subtropical environments in Brazil. A systematic review identified 45 eligible articles, which were subjected to meta-analysis based on proportional differences and 95% confidence intervals. Forage accumulation rate was, on average, 30% lower in silvopasture than in pastoral systems (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.0001), with this reduction being 17% greater in subtropical than in tropical regions (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.0001). Crude protein concentration was 17% greater in silvopasture systems (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.0001), with increases of 1% in subtropical and 17% in tropical regions (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). This response may be associated with reduced accumulation of non-structural carbohydrates under lower irradiance. Neutral detergent fibre (<i>p</i> = 0.1842), acid detergent fibre (<i>p</i> = 0.1742) and in vitro digestibility of dry matter (<i>p</i> = 0.8721) concentrations did not differ between systems. Average daily gain of cattle was similar between pastoral and silvopasture systems (<i>p</i> = 0.1000). Stocking rate was 12% lower in silvopasture systems (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.0001), resulting in a mean reduction of 14% in liveweight gain per hectare (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.0001). This reduction was markedly greater in subtropical environments (44%; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) than in tropical ones (10%; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). We conclude that silvopasture systems enhance crude protein concentration in forage, without compromising forage fibre or animal performance. Although reduced forage accumulation and lower stocking rate limit animal productivity per unit area, these effects may be offset by the economic returns from the tree component.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70071","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148616455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of Sheep Endozoochory in Breaking Physical Dormancy and Implications for Pasture Legume Regeneration","authors":"Robert J. Harrison,&nbsp;Ganesh K. Jaganathan,&nbsp;John G. Howieson,&nbsp;Ron J. Yates,&nbsp;Graham W. O'Hara,&nbsp;Benedict Arthur,&nbsp;Hayley C. Norman","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70067","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Herbivores contribute significantly to seed dispersal in both natural and agricultural systems through endozoochory, a process that can break seed physical dormancy (PY) in leguminous plants. However, the detailed mechanisms governing germination following seed ingestion and the combined effects of digestion and environmental conditions remain poorly understood, particularly in Mediterranean climates. This study examined the effect of sheep ingestion on PY break and germination potential in four pasture legume species critical for grassland sustainability. Seed from two species (<i>Medicago polymorpha</i> and <i>Ornithopus sativus</i>) were fed to sheep inside intact ligneous pods, another in a linear membranous pod (<i>Biserrula pelecinus</i>) and the last in membranous pods arranged in a capitulum (<i>Trifolium hirtum</i>), mimicking consumption in nature. Viable seeds recovered from faecal pellets and non-ingested (control) seeds were subsequently placed under natural soil conditions for 111 days, during which seed mass, moisture content, and PY status were periodically assessed. Seeds that had passed through the digestive tract showed significant increases in mass and moisture content after ingestion, indicating partial hydration post ingestion. The proportion of PY seeds decreased in all species after being placed on the soil surface, but the rate of dormancy loss varied among species. Seeds ingested within ligneous pods exhibited greater reductions in PY than membranous pods relative to their controls. These results suggest that digestive processes, coupled with environmental conditions after excretion, accelerate dormancy break, highlighting a complex interaction between biological and ecological factors in seedling regeneration. Our results provide important insights for managing pasture legumes in Mediterranean systems and highlight the need to consider herbivore-mediated seed dispersal in restoration and sustainable agriculture.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148467605","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Legume-Based Swards With No or Low Nitrogen Fertiliser Matched or Exceeded Yields of Perennial Ryegrass With Higher Nitrogen Fertiliser","authors":"Ali Sultan Khan,&nbsp;Dominika J. Krol,&nbsp;Rishabh Vishwakarma,&nbsp;Alexandre B. de Menezes,&nbsp;John A. Finn","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70065","url":null,"abstract":"<p>There is an increasing need for low nitrogen (N) grassland systems that minimise greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while maintaining forage production. Within the context of constrained fertiliser inputs (≤ 100 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) for feedstock production systems for grass-based anaerobic digestion (AD), we investigated the effects of grassland species diversity, N source, and N application rates on both forage and nitrogen yield. In a two-year field experiment, plots received either digestate from an AD plant or calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) at rates ranging from 0 to 100 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Higher-diversity swards (grass-legume communities and a six-species mixture of grasses, legumes, and herbs) with lower N (0 or 50 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) consistently matched or outyielded <i>L. perenne</i> with 100 kg N for both dry matter and N yield. Averaged across the 2 years, both the perennial ryegrass + red clover community and the six-species mixture with zero N fertiliser achieved a higher (more usually) or similar yield and nitrogen yield to that of the <i>L. perenne</i> monoculture with 100 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ N fertiliser. Legumes achieved high N yield in monocultures, and <i>T. pratense</i> outperformed a wide range of mixture compositions. There were community-specific effects of both N source and rate on yield, but no effects of N source and rate on N yield. These results suggest that legume-containing multispecies grassland mixtures can deliver high forage yield within low-nitrogen grassland systems, and support productive grassland systems under increasingly stringent fertiliser and environmental regulations.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70065","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148466876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herbage Accumulation, Persistence and Nutritive Value of C4 Grasses Grown Across Temperate Environments in South-Eastern Australia","authors":"Matthew T. Newell,&nbsp;Neil Munday,&nbsp;Ian Toole,&nbsp;Mark Norton,&nbsp;Carol Harris,&nbsp;Richard C. Hayes,&nbsp;Suzanne P. Boschma","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70066","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Climate modelling has projected increasing temperatures and a shift in rainfall systems in southern Australia, suggesting an increase in the summer–autumn feed gap of pasture systems based on temperate species. Tropical (C₄) pasture species may diversify the feed base and help mitigate climate variability in these areas. In this study, we compared the herbage accumulation, persistence and forage nutritive value of eight tropical pasture species with those of locally adapted temperate species across eight sites in New South Wales (NSW) traditionally considered marginal for tropical pastures. Tropical grass species proved to be more persistent and productive than many temperate species in drier environments. Rhodes grass (<i>Chloris gayana</i> Kunth.) cvv. Katambora and Reclaimer consistently ranked in the top five cultivars at these sites, while panic grass (<i>Megathyrsus maximus</i> Jacq.) B.K Simon &amp; S.W Jacobs cv. Gatton performed well at individual sites. At the wetter sites, tropical grass cultivars were productive, however were outperformed by temperate species. Forage metabolisable energy content ranged from 7.2 to 10.2 MJ/kg DM among tropical grasses, while energy varied in the temperate species from 5.4 to 13.2 MJ/kg DM across seasonal sampling. All tropical species had adequate mineral concentrations of calcium (range 0.35%–1.95%), magnesium (range 0.12%–0.39%) and phosphorus (range 0.24%–0.36%) to meet the needs of grazing ruminants. The exception was sodium, which was deficient (&lt; 0.06%) in digit grass (<i>Digitaria eriantha</i> Steud.), kikuyu (<i>Cenchrus clandestinus</i> (Hochst.ex Chiov.) Morrone.) and bahiagrass (<i>Paspalum notatum</i> Flüggé). Our study has shown that tropical grass species offer potential in the environments tested providing options for land managers to maintain year-round feed production for livestock.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70066","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148386543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Diverse Pasture Grazing System Enhances Ewe and Lamb Performance Over a Three-Year Grazing Study","authors":"R. E. Connolly,&nbsp;J. T. Higgins,&nbsp;H. Sheridan,&nbsp;S. Lott,&nbsp;G. Egan,&nbsp;T. M. Boland","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70064","url":null,"abstract":"<p>High-output pasture-based ruminant production systems in temperate regions are typically based on perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i> L.; PRG) swards. Multispecies swards can improve animal performance; however, evidence from multi-year, full-system experiments remain limited. In this context, full-systems studies are those in which all forage inputs, both grazed and conserved, are produced within the system, enabling integrated evaluation of whole-farm animal performance over time. This study compared ewe and lamb performance over three production cycles in two grazing systems: (1) Grass-only (GO) used for grazing and winter feed conservation, and (2) an alternative forage (AF) system comprised of a five-species multispecies sward: PRG, red clover (<i>Trifolium pratense</i> L.), white clover (<i>Trifolium repens</i> L.), chicory (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) and ribwort plantain (<i>Plantago lanceolata</i> L.) for grazing, coupled with a PRG plus red clover sward, predominantly used to supply conserved winter feed for ewes on the AF system. Sixty ewes and their lambs were allocated to each system. Animal body weight (BW) and ewe body condition score (BCS) were measured at key production stages. Ewes on the AF system had higher BW (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) and BCS (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) across key production stages. Lambs reared on AF system had higher live weights (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01), lifetime average daily gains (238 vs. 179 g day⁻¹; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) and reached target slaughter weight 37 days earlier (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01). These findings demonstrate that alternative forages can enhance ewe and lamb performance while improving efficiency in pasture-based lamb systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70064","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148386269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Comparison of Non-Chemical Alternatives for Reducing Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) Abundance in a Conservation Grassland","authors":"Mateo D. M. Ruiz,&nbsp;Matthew Twiggs,&nbsp;David J. Ramsden","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70063","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Semi-natural grasslands harbour important biodiversity, yet managing them for nature conservation can involve toxic agrochemicals. This study compares treatment efficacy of two non-chemical methods of reducing creeping thistle (<i>Cirsium arvense</i>) abundance to the efficacy of a narrow spectrum herbicide containing triclopyr and clopyralid. We used six replicates of six 100 m² plots (<i>n</i> = 36) over 3 years to compare mechanical topping (cutting), manual pulling and no management to spot-spraying with Grazon Pro. Two complete thistle counts were carried out per year to quantify change in abundance. We also tested for temporal trends across 4 years, evaluated edge effects, and characterised spatial distribution. Leaving creeping thistles unmanaged yielded similar counts within years and a marked increase across years (effect size = 0.26; <i>p</i>-value = 0.001). The efficacy of topping compared poorly to spraying (effect size = −0.33; <i>p</i>-value &lt; 0.001), and no temporal trend was apparent. Conversely, manual pulling was marginally more effective than spraying (effect size = 0.15; <i>p</i>-value = 0.08), with a consistently negative temporal trend (effect size = −0.34; <i>p</i>-value &lt; 0.001). No temporal trend was detected in sprayed plots. Edge effects were negative in topped plots and positive in sprayed and pulled plots. Spatial distribution was random where thistles were left unmanaged (aggregation index <i>R</i> = 0.95), uniform in sprayed plots (<i>R</i> = 1.27), and clumped where thistles were pulled or topped (<i>R</i> = 0.69 and 0.89, respectively). These findings signify that manual pulling of creeping thistle is slightly more effective at reducing abundance than spraying, and is the only method that we tested to produce a consistent abundance reduction over time. We recommend that manual pulling replace spot spraying with herbicides on conservation grasslands to avoid the negative impacts of herbicide on biodiversity.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148357955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing Bioactive-Rich Forage Species in Multi-Species Grasslands: Where Do We Stand? Challenges and Future Perspectives","authors":"V. Niderkorn,&nbsp;A. Jayanegara","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The integration of bioactive-rich forage species into multi-species grassland systems represents a promising strategy to enhance ruminant productivity and mitigate environmental impacts. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) provide a range of biofunctional properties, including the reduction of enteric methane (CH₄) emissions, urinary nitrogen excretion and parasite burdens. However, effective implementation in real-world grazing systems is constrained by high variability and often marginal concentrations of active compounds, as well as limited knowledge and control over the functional doses required for consistent biological effects. This article highlights these major challenges and discusses strategies such as promoting agroecological diversity, introducing exotic or aromatic species and developing monitoring tools and breeding approaches for stable bioactive traits. A holistic, transdisciplinary approach, bridging plant ecology, animal nutrition and farming practices, is essential to unlock the full potential of bioactive-rich forages for climate-smart and sustainable livestock systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70062","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harnessing Bioactive-Rich Forage Species in Multi-Species Grasslands: Where Do We Stand? Challenges and Future Perspectives","authors":"V. Niderkorn,&nbsp;A. Jayanegara","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The integration of bioactive-rich forage species into multi-species grassland systems represents a promising strategy to enhance ruminant productivity and mitigate environmental impacts. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) provide a range of biofunctional properties, including the reduction of enteric methane (CH₄) emissions, urinary nitrogen excretion and parasite burdens. However, effective implementation in real-world grazing systems is constrained by high variability and often marginal concentrations of active compounds, as well as limited knowledge and control over the functional doses required for consistent biological effects. This article highlights these major challenges and discusses strategies such as promoting agroecological diversity, introducing exotic or aromatic species and developing monitoring tools and breeding approaches for stable bioactive traits. A holistic, transdisciplinary approach, bridging plant ecology, animal nutrition and farming practices, is essential to unlock the full potential of bioactive-rich forages for climate-smart and sustainable livestock systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70062","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148282651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of Intercropping Maize–Grass–Legume for Silage Production and Oversowing Black Oat for Lamb Grazing on Soil Fertility","authors":"Juliano Carlos Calonego,&nbsp;Rodrigo César Sereia,&nbsp;Cristiano Magalhães Pariz,&nbsp;Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol,&nbsp;Igor Vilela Cruz,&nbsp;Nídia Raquel Costa,&nbsp;João Paulo Gonsiorkiewicz Rigon,&nbsp;André Michel de Castilhos,&nbsp;Paulo Roberto de Lima Meirelles,&nbsp;Daniel Martins Souza,&nbsp;Karina Mendes Bertolino,&nbsp;Cirino Costa","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Intercropping grasses and legumes could be an important strategy for sustainable food production in tropical weathered soils. This study aimed to assess the impact of intercropping systems comprising maize and grass with or without a legume for silage production and overseeded black oat overseeded for lamb grazing on crop production, root development and soil fertility under no-till (NT). The cropping systems consisted of maize intercropped with palisade grass (<i>Urochloa brizantha</i> cv. Marandu) with or without pigeon pea (<i>Cajanus cajan</i>) in the summer/autumn and black oat (<i>Avena strigosa</i>) overseeded in row or broadcast with superficial incorporation in the winter/spring. Maize forage mass for ensiling, maize grain yield, crop straw on the soil surface, root development and soil fertility were assessed. Despite an atypical period of drought in the first year, the addition of the legume to the intercropping system increased forage accumulation for silage, maize grain yield and crop straw by 13%, 8% and 53%, respectively, and ensured adequate soil cover for the cycling of soil nutrients for the subsequent crops. Harrowing to incorporate broadcast black oat negatively impacted silage production, maize yield and root development and stimulated C mineralization. It suggests that adjusting the density of intercropped species is a potential management strategy for tropical regions subject to drought, but further studies are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148173890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impacts of Intercropping Maize–Grass–Legume for Silage Production and Oversowing Black Oat for Lamb Grazing on Soil Fertility","authors":"Juliano Carlos Calonego,&nbsp;Rodrigo César Sereia,&nbsp;Cristiano Magalhães Pariz,&nbsp;Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol,&nbsp;Igor Vilela Cruz,&nbsp;Nídia Raquel Costa,&nbsp;João Paulo Gonsiorkiewicz Rigon,&nbsp;André Michel de Castilhos,&nbsp;Paulo Roberto de Lima Meirelles,&nbsp;Daniel Martins Souza,&nbsp;Karina Mendes Bertolino,&nbsp;Cirino Costa","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Intercropping grasses and legumes could be an important strategy for sustainable food production in tropical weathered soils. This study aimed to assess the impact of intercropping systems comprising maize and grass with or without a legume for silage production and overseeded black oat overseeded for lamb grazing on crop production, root development and soil fertility under no-till (NT). The cropping systems consisted of maize intercropped with palisade grass (<i>Urochloa brizantha</i> cv. Marandu) with or without pigeon pea (<i>Cajanus cajan</i>) in the summer/autumn and black oat (<i>Avena strigosa</i>) overseeded in row or broadcast with superficial incorporation in the winter/spring. Maize forage mass for ensiling, maize grain yield, crop straw on the soil surface, root development and soil fertility were assessed. Despite an atypical period of drought in the first year, the addition of the legume to the intercropping system increased forage accumulation for silage, maize grain yield and crop straw by 13%, 8% and 53%, respectively, and ensured adequate soil cover for the cycling of soil nutrients for the subsequent crops. Harrowing to incorporate broadcast black oat negatively impacted silage production, maize yield and root development and stimulated C mineralization. It suggests that adjusting the density of intercropped species is a potential management strategy for tropical regions subject to drought, but further studies are needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70051","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148173889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}