ECOTYPES GROWTH OF Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach) Morrone IN RAINFED CONDITIONS

The scarce information about the growth in forages has led growers to ignore the optimum moment of cutting, which generates a decompensation in the cattle, wasting these forages in quantity and quality. The objective of this research was to evaluate during one year the growth dynamics of Cenchrus purpureus ecotypes. The study was carried out at the Instituto Tecnológico del Valle de Oaxaca, by means of a completely randomized design, considering Elephant, Maralfalfa, Cuba CT-115, Roxo, Vruckwona, Taiwan, Merkeron, Mott and King Grass ecotypes, in summer-autumn (VO) and winter-spring (IP). The variables evaluated were: number of leaves per plant (Nh), plant height (Ap), leaf length (Lh) and biomass (B). The results obtained indicate that the best season was V-O, since differences were observed (P < 0.05), and the highest values were obtained in number of leaves per plant (15.3) at 180 days in Vruckwona, in plant height (85.6 cm) at 150 days in Merkeron and biomass (1.38 t DM ha-1). These results are attributed to abiotic factors, mainly water availability.