ABSTRACT
This study was developed with the aim of making the phytosociological survey in a pasture grass-fat (Melinis minutiflora P. Beauv.) that had been grazed by beef cattle for over than ten years without management strategy set. The research was conducted on the campus of Federal University of Viçosa, MG. To evaluation of the phytosociological characteristics and dry mass of weeds and of the forage was used the inventory square method, using a square of 0.25 m2 randomly placed 40 times in the pasture, giving a sample area of 10 m2. Throughout the experimental area were identified 31 species and 12 botany families, having as highlight the Poaceae family with eight species, and Asteraceae with seven species. The cultivated forage M. minutiflora P. Beauv. corresponds to 24.26% of the total production of dry mass between species surveyed in the area. These results indicate an advanced stage of degradation of pasture of grass-fat with high infestation by weeds, including species considered toxic, spiny and of high competitive with the forages, which characterize it as a pasture of low support capacity.
Key words:
species diversity; forage; degraded pasture; weeds
