Evaluation of new hybrid brachiaria lines in Thailand. 1. Forage production and quality

Authors

  • Michael D. Hare Ubon Forage Seeds, Faculty of Agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
  • Esteban A. Pizarro Semillas Papalotla SA de CV., Mexico D.F., Mexico.
  • Supaphan Phengphet Ubon Forage Seeds, Faculty of Agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
  • Theerachai Songsiri Ubon Forage Seeds, Faculty of Agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
  • Naddakorn Sutin Ubon Forage Seeds, Faculty of Agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(3)83-93

Abstract

Forty-three new hybrid bracharia lines were evaluated for forage accumulation and nutritive value in Northeast Thailand from 2006 to 2011 in experiments at 2 sites, using Mulato II hybrid brachiaria as a standard for comparison. The parameters evaluated were wet and dry season dry matter (DM) accumulation, leaf:stem ratio, crude protein (CP) concentration and fiber level [acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF)]. No lines consistently displayed superior dry season forage accumulation and leaf:stem ratio over Mulato II. In the wet seasons, 14 lines produced more DM than Mulato II but in only one wet season each. Mulato II produced forage with high leaf:stem ratio in all seasons. Many lines did have significantly higher CP concentrations and lower levels of ADF and NDF than Mulato II, but their forage accumulation and leaf:stem ratio were inferior. Four lines (BR02/1718, BR02/1752, BR02/1794 and BR02/0465) were granted Plant Variety Rights in 2011.

Keywords: Cayman, Cobra, crude protein, dry matter yields, forage regrowth,  Mulato II.

DOI: 10.17138/TGFT(3)83-93

 

Author Biography

Michael D. Hare, Ubon Forage Seeds, Faculty of Agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.

Michael Hare has been involved with seed production of tropical and temperate forage grasses and legumes for almost four decades in Thailand (tropical) and New Zealand (temperate). In Thailand Michael started large scale machine harvesting of Townsville stylo and Verano stylo in the 1970s and later was involved in a village farmer seed programme of various species which continues until this day. From 1984 to 1994 Michael worked as a herbage seed scientist at Grasslands Division, DSIR, Palmerston North, New Zealand, researching seed production problems on a wide range of temperate species. Since 1994, Michael has worked at Ubon Ratchathani University in Thailand, researching seed production of tropical forages and starting a new village seed programme with Tropical Seeds, a subsidiary of a Mexican seed company, Grupo Papalotla. This programme contracts over 1000 village farmers in Thailand and Laos to produce seed of Mulato II and Cayman hybrid brachiarias, Mombasa and Tanzania guinea grasses, Ubon paspalum and Ubon stylo. Seed is currently being exported to countries in Central America, the South Pacific, other parts of Asia and now Africa. Michael conducts research trials on the above species and is involved in final evaluation of new hybrid brachiaria accessions from CIAT for which Grupo Papalotla has the production rights. Michael is a professor in the Faculty of Agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University and recently became a Fellow of the Tropical Grassland Society of Australia Inc. He has been author or co-author of 130 papers on various aspects of seed and forages in both temperate and tropical pastures.

How to Cite

Hare, M. D., Pizarro, E. A., Phengphet, S., Songsiri, T., & Sutin, N. (2015). Evaluation of new hybrid brachiaria lines in Thailand. 1. Forage production and quality. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 3(2), 83–93. https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(3)83-93

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Published

2015-05-26

Issue

Section

Research Papers