STENOTAPHRUM SECUNDATUM - A VALUABLE FORAGE SPECIES FOR SHADED ENVIRONMENTS

The potential of Stenotaphrum secundatum (buffalo grass) as a forage s pecies for ruminants is reviewed. Buffalo grass has been used as a pas ture grass to a limited extent in Florida, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands and Australia. From agronomic and animal production data, it i s concluded that buffalo grass has value as a pasture grass for shaded , humid-tropical environments in developing countries, where smallhold ers require a robust, persistent grass. Considerable genetic variation exists within the species with the sterile triploid types showing gre atest potential for grazing. Dry matter productivity is only moderate but buffalo grass is tolerant of a wide range of edapho-climatic condi tions. Its moderate nutritive value can be improved by combination wit h legumes such as Leucaena leucocephala, Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo, Aeschynomene americana cv. Glenn and Desmodium spp. Animal production from buffalo grass is highly sensitive to stocking rate. It has been w ell adopted by smallholders grazing cattle under coconuts in the Pacif ic Islands because of its ease of establishment and tolerance of long- term heavy grazing. The ability of buffalo grass to form a dense, stab le and weed-free sward under heavily shaded and heavily grazed conditi ons makes it worthy of consideration for grazing under plantation crop systems.