Grasses, Volume 5, Issue 2 (June 2026) – 8 articles

This study evaluated the effect of a combined treatment of biostimulants on the recovery of low-maintenance turfgrass grown in central Chile. During the summer of 2025, a trial was conducted in Melipilla (central Chile) in an area planted with turfgrass sods consisting of a mixture of warm- and cool-season grasses under weekly mowing conditions. Three doses of the biostimulant treatment were applied at 15-day intervals, maintaining a controlled irrigation regime based on daily turfgrass evapotranspiration. The turf quality during the study was evaluated using vegetation indices based on RGB digital image analysis (VARI and TGI). During the trial period, only the treated group showed a significant improvement relative to its initial condition in one of the two evaluated indices (VARI). Comparative analyses across evaluation dates revealed significant differences between the treatment and the procedural control, which represented the non-maintained condition and the deterioration targeted by the trial, whereas no significant differences were detected with the irrigated control. These preliminary findings suggest that biostimulant treatments could represent a feasible tool for improving the appearance and recovery of turfgrass recurrently affected during summer conditions in urban areas of central Chile. However, future studies should include repeated damage–recovery events and incorporate multispectral indices, such as NDVI, to strengthen the robustness of the results. Full article

Characterized as one of the most controversial and widely used grasses in various regions, buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link) is considered a significant and problematic invasive exotic species and an adaptable and resilient forage source with relatively high biomass production and resistance to harsh agroecological conditions. Objective: The objective of this documentary research is to present a systematic review of buffelgrass dynamics, focusing on its global management and specifically on the arid regions of Mexico, particularly Sonora. This review highlights its forage potential, invasive capacity, adaptability, and the different scales of its multifactorial relationship within the productive-environmental sphere. Methods: Information on buffelgrass in various regions of the world, with an emphasis on arid regions, was reviewed and summarized. This information was gathered from a selection of 59 articles, considering common aspects such as appropriate methodologies, location within the geographical limits of aridity, and originating from Web of Science repositories. The search criteria included “Pennisetum ciliare and Cenchrus ciliaris”, “invasion”, “livestock”, “forage”, “sustainability”, and “restoration”, among other key concepts, with a timeframe limited to the year 2026. This allowed for the definition of thematic axes for the descriptions presented. Main results: The results highlight various treatments in agriculture and livestock farming, its use in combination with other grasses, and the implementation of adjuvants, which improves its performance. In this regard, its use as a substitute for primary forage with 500 mm of annual irrigation is emphasized, achieving biomass production levels of up to 18.4 t ha⁻¹. Conclusions: Buffelgrass in vulnerable arid territories, such as Sonora, Mexico, could improve soil cover, nutrient content, and biological presence; however, in a state of equilibrium, it can cause alterations that are difficult to reverse and that compromise local ecology and water resources. Full article

Fires are an ecological force that often mediates the balance between native and exotic plants in communities. We monitored post-fire vegetation dynamics in a Pinus pinaster plantation and adjacent grasslands 9, 15, and 18 months after the fire, evaluating structural and compositional changes through multivariate analyses. The invasive alien Acacia longifolia cover increased significantly in the plantation (p = 0.0006), while pine needle cover declined significantly (p = 0.0027), and P. pinaster cover did not change significantly over time (p = 0.063), although it showed an increasing trend towards the late stage. Both A. longifolia and pine needles were negatively associated with native species cover. Native cover remained consistently higher in continuous grasslands, with a significant Time × Site interaction. Post-fire succession in the plantation was associated with sequential abiotic and biotic filters, and the increase in A. longifolia may have contributed to reduced native recovery through competitive effects. These results suggest that fire alone may be insufficient to restore native grassland conditions within afforested systems and that early post-fire control of A. longifolia may be necessary to redirect succession. Full article

Wearable sensors and remote sensing technologies are rapidly increasing opportunities to measure grazing animal behavior, energetics, and performance in extensive rangeland systems. However, despite significant advances in device capabilities, the livestock sector lacks an ecological framework that connects sensor data to the metabolic processes driving animal growth and efficiency. In this paper, we apply the movement ecology paradigm to grazing beef cattle as a demonstration of how metabolic theory, animal behavior, and landscape heterogeneity interact to influence energy budgets. We first describe the mechanistic relationships among basal metabolism, thermoregulation, activity, and forage intake, highlighting how movement patterns reflect underlying metabolic states. Next, we review key variables measurable through modern sensors, including GPS, accelerometers, rumen temperature boluses, and remote sensing of forage quantity and quality and explain how these data can be integrated into an information system to estimate energy expenditure, resource selection, and physiological stress. Finally, we show how combining movement, behavioral, and landscape data can yield meaningful indicators of performance and health, paving the way for precision livestock management grounded in ecological principles. Integrating metabolic and movement ecology with emerging technologies offers a strong framework for enhancing efficiency, welfare, and sustainability in grazing beef systems. Full article

Ecotypic variation in tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.), with differences in phenology, may affect the performance of mixtures with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). However, the effects of ecotypic variation within mixtures remain largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to evaluate the aerial dry matter (ADM) production and radiation model components of alfalfa–tall fescue mixtures, with particular emphasis on their implications for radiation interception and radiation use efficiency (RUE) at the canopy level. We evaluated from March 2017 to May 2018 in the Pampas (Argentina) monocultures of alfalfa and tall fescue Mediterranean and Continental ecotypes, and their mixtures with a sowing ratio 1:1 under frequent defoliation without fertilization. ADM was higher in alfalfa monoculture and mixture with the Mediterranean ecotype than the mixture with the Continental ecotype (+20%; 3225 kg ha⁻¹). Alfalfa monoculture exhibited the highest radiation interception, whereas the mixture with the Mediterranean ecotype compensated for reduced interception through increased RUE (≈10%). The Continental mixture exhibited lower interception indicating stronger interspecific competition. Tall fescue monocultures were the least productive due to low interception and RUE. These findings highlight the potential of Mediterranean tall fescue ecotype and the importance of species/ecotype selection for grassland productivity. Full article

The objective of this study was to assess the contribution of oat (Avena sativa L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa) hay supplementation as a forage-based strategy to improve the environmental and productive performance of grazing systems in the high Andean zone through its effects on enteric methane (CH₄) emissions and live weight gain. Twenty heifers grazed native grasses, and only half of the group received the supplement. The experiment was conducted as a crossover design. Methane emissions were quantified through sulfur hexafluoride methodology. Native pastures were characterized by low protein content, while lignin was lower in the oat hay plus common vetch hay than in the native grass mixture. On average, heifers consumed 7 kg dry matter per day (p ≥ 0.05) and ingested 24% more crude protein when supplemented (p = 0.0001). Digestible and metabolizable energy intakes were also significantly higher in supplemented animals (p ≤ 0.05). Live weight change was positive for supplemented animals (245 g/d). Net CH₄ production ranged from 179.6 to 196.3 g/d (p = 0.183). However, when CH₄ emissions were expressed relative to crude protein or acid detergent lignin intake, supplemented diets were found to emit less than native grass-based diets (p ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that supplementation with oat hay plus vetch is a feeding alternative for heifers during the dry season in the Peruvian Andean region to increase animal productivity without affecting CH₄ emissions. Full article

Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) extracts are widely used in agriculture as organic pesticides, but their effects on soil microbiota are uncertain. This study evaluated the impact of aqueous extracts of neem leaves and seeds on soil microbial activity, maize (Zea mays L.) development, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) dynamics. The experiment used a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial design, with two extract sources (leaf and seed), three concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20%), and a control. The soil treated with 20% seed extract showed the highest microbial respiration (16,512 mg C-CO₂·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹) and total organic carbon (15.10 g·kg⁻¹) but the lowest microbial biomass (1330 mg·kg⁻¹) and microbial quotient (0.10%), indicating a stressed microbial environment. Paradoxically, maize plants under this same treatment exhibited a superior height, stem diameter, and biomass. Furthermore, the AMF spore density significantly increased in the seed extract treatments, suggesting a stress-induced reproductive response. These findings reveal that, although neem seed extract can negatively affect soil microbiota, it promotes maize growth, likely due to its organic and bioactive compounds. Thus, neem extract demonstrates potential as an organic input, but its application must be carefully managed due to potential ecological trade-offs. Full article

Forage grasses are an important component of livestock systems due to their contribution to animal feed, soil conservation, and carbon sequestration. In the face of climate change, analyzing stomatal characteristics allows us to understand the mechanisms of adaptation and tolerance to environmental stress. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the stomatal characteristics and trichome density of ten forage grasses present in a pine-oak dominated ecosystem. Sampling was carried out in October and November 2022 on a 1938 ha area. Mature, healthy leaves were selected, and epidermal impressions were obtained from the adaxial and abaxial surfaces using the cyanoacrylate method. Observations were made with an optical microscope at 400× magnification, quantifying stomatal density, trichome density, number of epidermal cells, and stomatal index per mm². The results indicated that nine species were amphistomatic, while Schizachyrium scoparium exhibited an epistomatic pattern. Muhlenbergia arizonica showed the highest stomatal density, and Setaria parviflora the lowest. It is concluded that there is high stomatal variability among species, highlighting its importance for the management and improvement of pastures. Full article