Publication Date
1989
Description
Seasonally flooded areas and swamp grasslands constitute a significant percentage ot the savannas and represent an important source of supplementary forage during the dry season. Approximately 21 % (170 million ha) of the central lowlands of tropical South America is poorly drained ; 82 % of these lands (139 million ha) is covered with forest and the remaining 31 million ha by native savannas (Cochrane et al.,1985). The poorly drained savanna lands have been used successfully since colonial times for extensive cattle production. Significant areas are found in the Brazilian Pantanal, in Brazil's southwest Amazonia, the Casanare plains of northeast Columbia and, the Apure Plains in southwest Venezuela (Cochrane et al., 1985). Grass species adapted to seasonal flooding and impeded drainage are available for some situations. However, there is a paucity of information on the tolerance of tropical legumes to such conditions. This paper is a summary of agronomical evaluation of a range of tropical legumes in a seasonally flooded situation in the Eastern Plains region of Colombia and on varzea land in the Cerrados of the Central Plateau of Brazil.
Citation
Grof, B; Thomas, D; De Andrade, R P.; Zoby, J.L F.; and De Souza, M A., "Perennial Legumes and Grass-Legume Associations Adapted to Poorly Drained Savannas in Tropical South America" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 1.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session3/1
Included in
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Perennial Legumes and Grass-Legume Associations Adapted to Poorly Drained Savannas in Tropical South America
Seasonally flooded areas and swamp grasslands constitute a significant percentage ot the savannas and represent an important source of supplementary forage during the dry season. Approximately 21 % (170 million ha) of the central lowlands of tropical South America is poorly drained ; 82 % of these lands (139 million ha) is covered with forest and the remaining 31 million ha by native savannas (Cochrane et al.,1985). The poorly drained savanna lands have been used successfully since colonial times for extensive cattle production. Significant areas are found in the Brazilian Pantanal, in Brazil's southwest Amazonia, the Casanare plains of northeast Columbia and, the Apure Plains in southwest Venezuela (Cochrane et al., 1985). Grass species adapted to seasonal flooding and impeded drainage are available for some situations. However, there is a paucity of information on the tolerance of tropical legumes to such conditions. This paper is a summary of agronomical evaluation of a range of tropical legumes in a seasonally flooded situation in the Eastern Plains region of Colombia and on varzea land in the Cerrados of the Central Plateau of Brazil.
