Long-term evaluation of pasture production, seasonality, and variability: An application of the DairyMod pasture model for three tropical species

作者：J.M.P.K. Jayasinghe, Keith G. Pembleton, D. J. Donaghy, Thiagarajah Ramilan, David G. Barber · 发表于：European Journal of Agronomy · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.eja.2024.127103 · 被引用次数：6 · 研究领域：Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology、Pasture and Agricultural Systems、Agricultural Economics and Policy

Adoption of improved pastures coupled with intensified management provide quality pastures in adequate quantities and thus improve livestock productivity. While pasture modelling is imperative for exploring the performance of newer pastures, models are little used for long-term simulations of multiple tropical pastures (genotype), under varying soil, climate (environment) and pasture production systems (management). We applied the DairyMod, a biophysical model to simulate the long-term pasture production of Brachiaria ruziziensis x B. decumbens x B. brizantha ‘Brachiaria Mulato II’ (BM), Megathyrsus maximus ‘Gatton Panic’ (GP), and Chloris gayana ‘Rhodes grass cv. Reclaimer’ (RR) across major dairying regions of Sri Lanka under different management scenarios and characterize the long-term pasture growth, seasonality and spatial variability, and possible implications for dairying in Sri Lanka. Simulations of three pasture species were carried out for 16 locations (8 dry (DZ), 5 intermediate (IZ), and 3 wet zone (WZ)) over 30 years (1980–2010). Three pasture management scenarios simulated were; 1) potential pasture production system under non-limiting N and irrigation (Yp) 2) rainfed pasture production system under non-limiting N fertilizer (Yw), and 3) rainfed pasture production system under current nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate (Ya). Statistical techniques were used to identify the long-term growth rates, variability, and trends in pasture production. The long-term pasture pro...