SMALL SWARD COMPARISON OB STYLOSANTHES AND DESMODIUM SPECIES GROWN IN ASSOCIATION WITH GUINEA

WONG. C.C. and ENG, P.K.

SUMMARY

Thirty-four accessions comprising Stylosanthes guianensis (Aubl.) SW., S. hamta (L.) Taub, and, S. scabra Vog. and two Desmodium species were evaluated in sward grown with common guinea (Panicum maximum Jacq.) at Serdang. The mixture swards were harvested at 6 weekly frequency over an 18-month period initially, but subsequently were grazed continuously at a stocking rate of 3.8 cattle ha^-1. Over three years of evaluation, the promising accessions based on high dry maner yield, legume percentage, persistence, vigour and basal ground cover scores were CPI 40294, 40255, 33437, Q8231, 33978, 41218 and 337068. These accessions belonged to the MA-groups 8A and 10B. Desmodium ovalifolium (Linn.) DC although slow in establishment, was outstanding in vigour and basal ground cover. Stylosanthes scabra CPI 40205 and 40292 persisted well under grazing while the commercial stylo cultivars namely Cook. Endeavour and Schofield had their dry matter vields declined over time. Stylosanthes humata cv. Verano performed poorly throughout the experiment.

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