PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL SURVEY IN PASTURE AREAS PLANTED WITH GRASSES OF THE GENUS BRACHIARIA IN DIFFERENT RELIEFS

Abstract

The agricultural sector is essential to the Brazilian economy, contributing 26% of gross revenue in 2021 and 24.8% in 2022. Brazil, the world's largest beef producer, relies on pastures as the main source of food for its cattle, with Brachiaria grass playing a significant role. Paper. Inadequate management of these areas often leads to degradation, characterised by the proliferation of weeds, which require intervention. The study was carried out to carry out a phytosociological survey in pasture areas with different altitudes to evaluate the floristic composition and identify the forage potential or harmful characteristics of the species present. Phytosociological surveys were carried out in pastures of IFES – Campus Santa Teresa, ES, in two areas with different topographic features (hill and plain). The species were identified and classified as palatable, toxic, or unpalatable. Samplings occurred during the dry (winter) and rainy (summer) seasons, and the species were quantified according to frequency, density, and abundance. A total of 47 species distributed in 14 families were identified. The Fabaceae family was the most prevalent, followed by the Amaranthaceae and Malvaceae. Alysicarpus vaginalis (IVI 49.06) was dominant in the hill area (Area A), while Cyperus rotundus (IVI 115.25) stood out in the lowland area (Area B). The similarity index between the areas was 26.42%. The study highlighted the diversity of species in Brachiaria pastures, emphasizing the need for targeted management to control non-palatable and toxic plants and, at the same time, optimize forage potential. The low similarity between the areas suggests distinct ecological dynamics.