The behavior of forage species (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, Panicum maximum cvs. Tanzânia, Aruana and Mombaça, Hemarthria altissima cv. Florida; Paspalum notatum cv. Pensacola, Axonopus catharinensis, Cynodon sp. hybrid Tifton-85; Arachis pintoi cvs. Alqueire and Amarillo) submitted to different radiation levels produced by Pinus taeda trees (open sky, 9 meters between tree rows and 3 meters within the row and 15 meters between tree rows and 3 meters within the row) was evaluated in this trial. Variables such as forage biomass production, leaf to stem ratio, plant height, flowering rate, nutritional value of leaves, meteorological and soil variables under the tree canopy and between rows were evaluated. The forage production was negatively affected by shading, but forage crude protein increased with shading compared with open sky. Besides the decrease in radiation under trees, lower wind speed and soil temperature were observed when compared to open sky plots. The NDF (neutral detergent fiber) of leaves was not affected by the radiation levels, although leaf to stem ratio was greater in the middle of the 9 × 3 m plot when compared to open pasture. The most productive species and those that showed potential yield to grow in silvipastoral system were Axonopus catharinensis and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu.
forage production; shading; silvipastoral system
