The botanical and floristic composition of native pasture, submitted to burning and alternative management practices, was evaluated during one year. The treatments were: biennial burning for more than 100 years; no burning - with or without mowing; and improved with lime, annual fertilization and sod-seeding of cool season species for 7 and 24 years. Forage accumulation within grazing exclusion cage was collected and sorted into species groups. The floristic composition was estimated with BOTANAL method based on the frequency and coverage of species along a transect. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three replications. Improvement of pasture promotes good native warm season grass species, sedges and legumes. Burning stimulates the development in Piptochaetium montevidense, to detriment of warm season grasses, legumes and senescent material. The species Paspalum notatum, P. paniculatum and Desmodium incanum has greater contribution under improved and mowed treatments. The biennial burning stimulates species of Andropogon and Schizachyrium genera and also opportunistic species. The alternative management with no burning, rotational grazing and deferment, promotes greater floristic richness, and species with better nutritive value.
campo; botanical composition; native species; improvement
