Productive behavior of six tropical forage species in the north plateau of Santa Catarina state, Brazil

Genotypes Brachiaria brizantha cv. MG-5 and cv. Marandu, Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania and cv. Mombaça, Setaria sphacelata cv. Kazangula and Pennisetum purpureum cv. Pioneiro were evaluated, with cuts, in the spring-summer periods of 2006/07 and 2007/08. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. There were interactions between genotypes and years of evaluation. The most productive and precocious genotype in
both years was Pennisetum purpureum cv. Pioneiro. The crude protein ranged between 8% and 12% and the digestibility ranged from 62% to 70%. The covering ground of Panicum maximum in the second year was less than 10%. In the cuts interval used, Pennisetum purpureum and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and cv. MG-5 indicated adaptation to the conditions in the northern plateau of Santa Catarina state.