Abstract
To evaluate the potential of tropical pasture legumes for increasing pasture productivity in the southern parts of Sowth-Western Islands, Japan, dry matter production of three cultivars of Stylosanthes spp. grown in mixture with three tropical pasture grasses were compared under two clipping intervals over two years. The cultivars and the grass species used in the experiment are ; S. humilis cv. Townsville, S. guianensis cv.'s Endeavour and Schofield, C. gayana cv. Pioneer (Rhodes grass), P. maximum (Guinea grass, unknown cultivar), and S. anceps cv. Kazungula. Annual dry matter production amounted 11.5-15.0t/ha in the stands of Endeavour and of Schofield mixed with the grasses showing a potential future for growing in the southern parts of South-Western Islands, Japan, however, the mixtures of Townsville and the grasses were not promising. Annual dry matter production of the mixtures of the promising legume cultivars changed with the growth habit of the associated grasses: Increased production levels were obtained with shorter or longer clipping intervals in association with longer or shorter type of grasses, respectively. The estimated optimal growing temperature for the promising legume cultivars were at 27-8℃ suggesting increased levels of legume effects on increasing productivity during worm seasons of this area.
