AGRONOMIC EVALUATION OF PANICUM-MAXIMUM C V TOBIATA IN MIXTURES WITH TROPICAL FORAGE LEGUMES

The agronomic performance of Panicum maximum cv. Tobiat (a) over tilde grown in pure stands and in mixtures with five tropical forage legume s (Desmodium ovalifolium CIAT-350, Centrosema acutifolium CIAT-5277 an d CIAT-5112, C. pubescens CIAT-438 and Pueraria phaseoloides CIAT-9900 ) were assessed in cutting experiment carried out at the Experimental Station of Ouro Preto d'Oeste, Rond (o) over cap nia, Brazil. The mixt ures were more efficient in dry matter production as compared to the g rass alone. The association with C. acutifolium CIAT-5277 produced a h igher dry matter yield, similar (P > 0.05) to that observed on the gra ss - P. phaseoloides mixture. The grass in association with legumes sh owed higher crude protein contents than the grass in pure stands. Appa rent nitrogen fixation and transference were higher for C. acutifolium CIAT-5277, CIAT-5112 and P. phaseoloides.