PHENOLOGY OF BUSH-FORAGE SPECIES ESTABLISHED IN A SILVOPASTORAL SYSTEM IN TWO SOIL TYPES IN YUCATAN, MEXICO

Silvopastoral systems represent a sustainable alternative for livestock production. Such systems are part of agroforestry and represent an agroecosystem which can be designed chronological and topological by an arboreal and herbaceous component. It has been demonstrated that silvopastoral systems can improve the forage production, add firewood and reduce temperature in grassland what generating animal wellness. However, to obtain the benefits of a silvopastoral system, it is important to know the phenology of forage bushes in a multi-associated system. The objective of this work was to evaluate a multi-associated silvopastoral system accord of the phenological behavior of four bushes with forage potential in two types of soil (Leptosol and Lithosol). The study was carried out in a plot of 130 x 25 m. Around the plot was intercalated Hibiscus rosa-sinensis(Tulipan)species at 25 cm between plant, Gliricidiasepium(Cocoite)and Guazumaulmifolia(Pixoy)at 2 m, and inside of the plot Leucaenaleucocephala(Huaxin) at 50 cmbetween plants and3 m between rows. Evaluated treatments were Leptosol or Lithosol soils, the variables measured were plant height, basal diameter, diameter at 35 cm, branches number, flowering date and pods number, growth rate and surviving. The analysis of variance and Duncan test were carried out to detect differences between treatments in plant age. The 100% of surviving was observed in Huaxin, Pixoy and Tulipan species in both soil types at 10,7 and 10 months of age respectively, furthermore, Cocoite showed 69 and 81 % of surviving in Leptosol and Lithosol soil respectively at the 6 months of transplant. Plant height of Huaxin at ten months of age was (P<0.05) 145.5±38.70 cm with growth rate (GR) of 0.66±0.19 cm d-1 in Leptosol soil and 138.2±46.71 cm for Lithosol with GR of 0.62±0.16 cm d-1. Flowering was in winter at 5 age months. Pods productions differences (P<0.05) were observed in Leptosol with 56.3±49.41 pods and in Lithosol with 45±43.74 pods. The growth rate of Pixoy at seven months of age was (P<0.05) 133.0±29.00 cm in Leptosol with 0.68±14 cm d-1 and 101.0±27.33 cm in Lithosol soil with 0.52±138 cm d-1. The highest Tulipan plants at ten mons age were (P<0.05) 163±36.10 cm with 0.68±0.12 cm d-1 of GR in Leptosol soil and 147.7±20.38 cm with 0.62±0.07 cm d-1 of GR in Lithosol soil. For all variables in soil treatment were detected differences (P<0.05), in which, Leptosol showed be the best soil for growth. Furthermore, this type soil showed positive influence in forage bushes growth due to plants showed the best growth, except Cocoite which the surviving rate was higher in Lithosol soil.