It was evaluated spatial and temporal variability of status descriptive characters of Brachiaria decumbens (signalgrass) cv. Basilisk deferred pastures. Treatments consisted of combinations of pasture deferring periods (73, 103, 131 and 163 days) with grazing periods (29, 57 and 85 days). Randomized block design with two repetitions and subdivided plots was used. It was determined the dispersion of pasture height (PH), stretched plant height (SPH) and falling index (FI) values. Pasture height spatial variability increased linearly with the deferring period, although it was not influenced by the grazing period. The coefficient of variation of stretched plant height decreased linearly on pastures subjected to longer deferring periods, and it was not affected by the grazing period. However, falling index variability showed a quadratic response to the deferring period, with maximum range corresponding to the coefficient of variation of 38.25% on the 130th day. On pastures deferred for short periods (73 days), negative variation of the coefficient of variation was revealed during the grazing period. Brachiaria decumbens pastures under longer deferring periods have higher pasture height variability and lower stretched plant height heterogeneity. Besides the temporal effect, high spatial variability occurs on Brachiaria decumbens deferred pastures.
Brachiaria decumbens; coefficient of variation; deferring period; falling index
