Dendrometry, production and nutritional value of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. under monocrop and silvopastoral system

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4365767/v1

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Dendrometry, production and nutritional value of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. under monocrop and silvopastoral system

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4365767/v1

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published 27 Aug, 2024

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Legumes have the potential to provide diverse ecosystem services, therefore, it is important to understand the quantitative and qualitative aspects of their development in different cropping systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the dendrometric, productive characteristics and nutritional value of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. in monocrop and a silvopastoral system with signal grass, in Brazil. The treatments were distributed under a randomized block design and consisted of M. caesalpiniifolia monocrop system and silvopasture (signal grass + M. caesalpiniifolia). Evaluations were carried out every 56 days for two years. The data were analyzed using repeated measures over time using SAS on demand (2021) and the treatment means were compared using PDIFF with Tukey's test (P < 0.05). There was no effect of cropping systems (P > 0.05) on plant height (~ 5.2 m). The greatest values for diameter at breast height (16.32 cm), basal diameter (20.54 cm), and dry matter production per plant (36 g DM plant^− 1) were observed in the silvopasture system (P < 0.05). Forage mass was higher (P < 0.05) in the monocrop system compared to silvopasture (69 and 22 kg DM ha^− 1, respectively) in the first year of evaluation. Total forage accumulation was greater in the monocrop system compared to silvopasture (383 vs. 116 kg DM ha^− 1 year^− 1) in the first year of evaluation. The nutritional value was not influenced (p < 0.05) by the cultivation systems in the first year of evaluation, however, higher content of CP (221 g kg^− 1), ADF (449 g kg^− 1), and IVDMD (383 g kg^− 1) were observed in the rainy season, while the highest DM content (426 g kg^− 1) occurred in the dry season. M. caesalpiniifolia showed good dendrometric characteristics in the silvopasture system. The silvopasture provides greater forage production per plant of M. caesalpiniifolia and better nutritional value of the forage than the legume monocrop.

agroforestry systems

biomass production

crude protein

wood quality

Agroforestry systems, such as silvopastures, can contribute to the sustainability of animal production systems (Carvalho et al. 2022). The silvopasture systems combine trees, pasture, and animals in the same area (Costa et al. 2016; Silva et al. 2020, 2021), with the potential to provide different ecosystem services. Among the benefits can be cited improvements in nutrient cycling, reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, increase in carbon sequestration, thermal comfort for animals, increase in the diversity of pollinators, disease control, diversification of products (wood, fuel, animal products, natural medicines, ornamental resources) (Apolinário et al. 2015; Costa et al. 2016; Dubeux Jr. et al. 2017; Hoosbeek et al. 2018; Simioni et al. 2022; Figueiredo et al. 2023). The use of legume trees in SPS with grasses has been indicated as an interesting alternative, due to the potential for biological N fixation, which contributes to reducing dependence on the use of nitrogen fertilizers, improving system sustainability (Niza Costa et al. 2023; Figueiredo et al. 2023; Rawal et al. 2023; Monteiro et al. 2024).

The sustainability of the silvopasture systems depends on the interaction and synergy between different types of crops and trees used in the consortium. In silvopastures, tree growth and development are affected by numerous factors, such as planting spacing, competition, nutrients, and water availability in the soil (Silva et al. 2021; Pezzopane et al. 2021). The cultivation of certain tree species in an agroforestry system is a challenge because the demand for resources is different for each type of species, as they have different physiological needs (Liu et al. 2018; Onuwa et al. 2021). For example, grasses require a greater amount of nutrients in shorter periods compared to trees (Schwarz et al. 2021).

Among the trees with the potential to be used in a silvopasture system is the legume tree Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. commonly known as “sabia”, native to the Northeast region of Brazil, it has been widely used in silvopasture systems due to its rapid growth, N₂-fixation, timber production, and high crude protein content in its leaves (Apolinário et al. 2016; Costa et al. 2016; Santos et al. 2020; Herrera et al. 2021; Silva et al. 2021; Carvalho et al. 2022). Its potential for timber and biomass production is an extra resource to be explored in silvopasture systems.

Regarding the arboreal component in silvopastures, it is necessary to understand the dynamics involved in their adaptability to soil and climate, and the system itself; these factors directly reflect on their growth, competition, biomass production, and wood quality (Liu et al. 2018; Thomas et al. 2021). The quality of wood directly affects the profits from the resource; therefore, it is important to evaluate the influence of growing conditions on several features of legume trees in silvopastures including plant height, diameter at breast height, and basal diameter, which are characteristics resulting from wood quality to obtain consistent information for the better-guiding producers with more assertive silvicultural practices (Silva et al. 2018; Pezzopane et al. 2021; Minini et al. 2024). Another factor that must be considered is the arrangement of the plant components in the system, when comparing cultivating legume trees under silvopasture and in tree monocrop, the first generally has a lower density of trees per hectare and a stronger influence of the grass component in terms of competition (Karki et al. 2021). These differences in silvopastures and monocrop systems can change the dynamics of nutrient and water uptake, and also modify several aspects associated with soil quality, litter deposition and decomposition, carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling (Karki et al. 2022; Santos et al. 2024; Pessoa et al. 2024).

There are indications that trees growing on silvopasture may develop better than under monocrop systems, especially when the tree density is greater in the monocrop (Karki et al. 2022). These authors reported that under lower tree densities in silvopasture systems, there is lower intraspecific competition for nutrients, space, and sunlight than in monocultures/forests. However, it should be considered that the grass may play an even stronger competition for nutrients. Concerning intraspecific competition in dense tree monocrop, legume trees may develop with reduced stem diameters that will cause low water retention and biomass production, consequently, also with negative impacts on the forage produced by the legumes (Blanchard et al. 2016; Chen and Brockway, 2017). Understanding how legume trees develop in different systems is essential to developing better management strategies to improve biomass and forage production.

The present study hypothesizes that the growth, forage production, and nutritional value of M. caesalpiniifolia are influenced by the type of cultivation systems. The objective was to compare the growth, forage production, and nutritional value of M. caesalpiniifolia in a silvopastoral and monocrop system.

Site description

The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Farm of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), located in the municipality of Garanhuns-PE (8º58'52” S 36º27'47” W) (Fig. 1), at 842 m altitude a.s.l., during the period from February/2021 to October/2022. According to the Köppen-Geiger classification, the climate of the region is tropical wet and dry (Aw). The average annual temperature 22.8 ºC, with historical annual precipitation (53-year average) of 866 mm year^− 1 (Barbosa et al. 2016).

The sequential water balance (Fig. 2) was calculated using the method proposed by Thornthwaite and Mather (1955). The months that displayed a positive or zero water balance were classified as rainy months; April to July 2021 and April to August 2022. The term dry period was attributed to the months with a negative water balance, corresponding to January to March 2021, August to November 2021; February to March, and August to October 2022. The accumulated precipitation during the entire experimental period was 1,720 mm.

Soil sampling was carried out at 20 points per hectare at a depth of 0–20 cm, before the establishment of the legume trees in 2017, a composite sample was obtained from the entire experimental area. The chemical analysis of the soil was carried out at Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco (IPA). The soil in the experimental area was classified as Yellow Argisol, sandy clay loam textural class (Santos et al. 2018), this soil classification is equivalent to Yellow Ultisol by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (IUSS Working Group, 2014). The soil displayed the following chemical characteristics: pH in water (1:2.5) = 5.3; P (Mehlich-I) = 2.0 mg/dm^− 3; Na = 0.006 cmol_c/dm^− 3; K = 0.19 cmol_c/dm^− 3; Ca = 0.35 cmol_c/dm^− 3; Mg = 0.53 cmol_c/dm^− 3; Al = 0.95 cmol_c/dm^− 3; H = 4.95 cmol_c/dm^− 3; sum of bases = 1.15 cmol_c/dm^− 3; Cation exchange capacity (CEC) = 7.05 cmol_c/dm^− 3; organic matter = 4.47%, base saturation (V%) = 16%, and aluminum saturation (m%) = 46.5%. The soil received lime 60 days before planting legume trees (August/2017), it was applied 2.5 t ha^− 1 of dolomitic limestone [54.3% calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and 45.7% magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃), Relative Neutralizing Power = 90%].

Experimental Design

The experiment was established in areas of signal grass already existing on the experimental farm (established in the year of 1998). The treatments consisted of a monocrop system of M. caesalpiniifolia and a silvopasture (signal grass + M. caesalpiniifolia) arranged in a randomized block design, with three replications. The silvopasture had 1-ha paddocks as experimental units, and the M. caesalpiniifolia monocrop (grove) consisted of areas of 30 x 20 m (0.06 ha). The planting spacing of the legume trees' double rows was 2.0 x 1.0 m and was the same in both treatments. M. caesalpiniifolia plant densities were 600 plants ha^− 1 (silvopasture), and 5,000 plants ha^− 1 (legume monocrop).

In the silvopasture system M. caesalpiniifolia, seedlings were planted (October 2017) in holes (15 cm in diameter and 15 cm deep). The double rows were planted in an east-west direction, spaced 25 m apart. The replanting of failed plants was carried out in May 2018. Fertilization with phosphorus (simple superphosphate) (30 kg ha^− 1) and potassium (potassium chloride) (15 kg ha^− 1), was carried out in each hole (30 x 30 x 20 cm) during the planting of the seedlings, following the fertilizer recommendations for the state of Pernambuco, using as a reference the recommendation for Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit. (Cavalcanti et al. 2008).

Dendrometric and production variables

The evaluation of the dendrometric variables and biomass of M. caesalpiniifolia was carried out every 56 days between February/2021 and October/2022, totaling 12 evaluations (Fig. 3). The age of the trees at the last assessment was 60 months after establishment.

The characterization of plants in the cultivation systems was carried out by counting the total number of trees in each double row (silvopasture) and single row (monocrop), identifying the frequency of trees based on the number of stems (Fig. 4) (1, 2, 3 and 4 stems), respectively. After characterization, 12 plants were selected to be evaluated in the silvopasture (where there were three replicates for each classification in terms of the number of stems); and in the monocrop system, eight plants (where there were two replicates for each classification in the function of the number of stems) (Herrera et al. 2021).

Plant height was measured from the ground level to the apex of the crown, using a graduated iron ruler. The diameter of the base was measured at 0.25 m above ground level, and the diameter at breast height (DBH) at 1.30 m above ground level using a measuring tape (Herrera et al. 2021; Carvalho et al. 2022a). Forage mass was estimated on the same plants on which dendrometric measurements were carried out. Tender branches, with a diameter of up to 5 mm, and leaves growing up to a height of 1.5 m were considered forage (Ydoyaga-Santana et al. 2011; Oliveira et al. 2015). This height was chosen considering the height that grazing cattle tend to consume the leaves of legume trees, as well as thin branches (Mello et al. 2014). The calculation to obtain the forage mass in each evaluation cycle was obtained from the multiplication of dry matter production per plant by the tree density in each cultivation system: monocrop (5,000 plants ha^− 1) and silvopasture (600 plants ha^− 1).

Dry matter production per plant was estimated in M. caesalpiniifolia plants by multiplying total green production by the dry matter content, divided by 100, in each evaluation cycle. The forage mass and Dry matter production per plant data were grouped into two periods of the year (rainy and dry) according to the climatic characteristics (Fig. 2). The total forage accumulation was obtained from the sum of the average forage mass of the evaluations in each year.

Sampling

M. caesalpiniifolia samples to determine the bromatological composition and digestibility were obtained from the manual harvesting of 12 plants (four plants per double row) in the silvopasture and eight plants in the legume monocrop, at the height of 1.5 m (branching height). The total forage mass harvested (leaves and tender branches) was weighed and homogenized, removing a representative subsample from each sample (composite sample). Then, the material was ground in a Willey knife mill, using a 1 mm sieve, to estimate the bromatological composition; and a 2 mm sieve, to estimate the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD).

Nutritional value

For the analyses of the nutritional value, procedures described by the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists International (AOAC, 1990) were carried out to determine dry matter (DM) contents (method 967.03); mineral matter (ashes) (MM) (method 942.05) and crude protein (CP) (method 988.05). Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were performed according to the methodology proposed by Van Soest et al. (1991) and adapted by Senger et al. (2008), regarding the use of an autoclave with a temperature of 110 ºC, for 40 minutes. To estimate the lignin content followed the methodology in 973.18 (AOAC, 2002), where the residues of the ADF samples were immersed in sulfuric acid, at 72%, aiming to solubilize the cellulose, obtaining, at the end of the analysis, the lignin digested in acid (LDA). The hemicellulose (HEM) and cellulose (CEL) fractions were estimated by the following equations: HEM = NDF – ADF and CEL = ADF - LDA.

To estimate the IVDMD it was followed the methodology described by Tilley and Terry (1963), with modifications proposed by Holden (1999), based on the in vitro incubation of samples in TNT bags (non-woven fabric). After incubation, a solution proposed by McDougall (1948) and rumen inoculum were added to the jars in artificial rumen equipment DAISYII Incubator (ANKOM® Technology). After 48 hours of incubation, 40 mL of HCl solution (6N) and 8 g of pepsin were added to each flask and, after the 24-hour incubation period, the bags containing the residues were washed and dried in an oven at 105 ºC., until constant weight. The rumen inoculum was obtained from samples composed of solid and liquid fractions of the rumen content of an adult female crossbreed Girolando (Bos taurus + Bos indicus), fistulated in the rumen, with 410 ± 10 kg live weight. IVDMD was calculated using the formula:

IVDMD%=100-w3-w1*w4w2*100

Where:

W1 = tare weight of TNT bags;

W2 = sample weight;

W3 = final weight of TNT bags after 24 hours of digestion with pepsin + HCL;

W4 = correction of blank TNT bags (weight of the blank TNT bag after 24 hours of digestion with Pepsin + HCL/weight of the initial TNT bag).

1.2 Statistical Analysis

The data was analyzed for normality (Shapiro-Wilk) and homoscedasticity (Bartlett) tests. Data with non-normal distribution were transformed to square root (√x). After meeting the assumptions, the data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), using PROC MIXED from the SAS statistical package (SAS on Demand software). The treatments (systems), the rainy and dry seasons, and the year of evaluation were considered fixed effects, while the block was considered random in de model. Means were compared using PDIFF, adjusted by Tukey, and statistical differences were considered significant when P ≤ 0.05. The statistical model used was:

Y_ijk = µ + α_i + β_j + I_k + (αI)_ik + (βI)_jk + γ_k + e_ijk

Where: Y_ijk is the dependent variable; µ is the general average; α_i is the fixed effect of the treatments; β_j is the fixed effect of the seasons; I_k is the effect of years; (βI)_jk is the effect of the interaction between seasons and years; γ_k is the random effect of the block; and e_ijk is the residual error.

Dendrometric analysis

There was an effect of the cultivation system (p < 0.05) on the variables diameter at breast height, basal diameter, and dry matter production per plant (Table 1). Regardless of the cultivation system, the average plant height was 5.2 m, while the average forage mass obtained was 31.5 kg DM ha^− 1. The highest diameter at breast height and basal diameter values were observed in M. caesalpiniifolia under the silvopasture system compared to the monocrop (Table 1).

Table 1

Dendrometric variables and forage production (≤ 1.5 m) of *Mimosa caesalpiniifolia* Benth. under different cultivation systems.
Variable	Cultivation system
Variable	Monocrop	Silvopasture	p-valor	SEM
Plant height (m)	5.42	5.04	0.3582	0.22
Diameter at breast height (cm)	13.81 B	16.32 A	0.0284	0.32
Basal diameter (cm)	16.62 B	20.54 A	0.0125	0.31
Dry matter production per plant (g DM)	7 B	36 A	0.0138	0.002
Forage mass _{(1.5 m)} (kg DM ha^− 1)	35.30	21.74	0.2756	6.45
Means followed by different letters in the line differ significantly at the 5% probability level using the Tukey test. SEM = Standard error of the mean.

There was a seasonal effect on plant height (p = 0.0493) and forage mass (p = 0.0437) of M. caesalpiniifolia, with higher plants occurring in the dry period (Fig. 5A). Greater forage mass occurred in the rainy season (35 kg DM ha^− 1), compared to the dry season (22 kg DM ha^− 1) (Fig. 5B).

Dry matter production per plant, forage mass, and total dry matter production were influenced by the interaction between cultivation system and year (p < 0.05) (Table 2). The highest Dry matter production per plant (13 g plant^− 1 DM) was observed in the monocrop system in the first year of evaluation. Meanwhile, the dry matter production per plant in the silvopasture was similar in both years of evaluation (P > 0.05).

Table 2

Cultivation system and year interaction for dry matter production per plant, forage mass (1.5 m), and total forage accumulation (1.5 m) of *M. caesalpiniifolia* in monocrop and silvopasture.
Cultivation system	Year		P-value	SEM
	2021	2022
	Dry matter production per plant (g plant^− 1)
Monocrop	13 Ab	3 Bb	0.0067	0.004
Silvopasture	34 Aa	38 Aa	0.3730	0.004
P-value	< 0.0001	< 0.0001
	Forage mass _{(1.5 m)} (kg DM ha^− 1)		< 0.0001 0.9665	8.62 8.62
Monocrop	69 Aa	2 Ba 22 Aa
Silvopasture	22 Ab	2 Ba 22 Aa
P-value	< 0.0001	0.0729
	Total forage accumulation _{(1.5 m)} (kg DM ha^− 1 year^− 1)
Monocrop	383 Aa	0.003 Bb	0.0071	75.60
Silvopasture	116 Ab	133 Aa	0.8255	75.60
P-value	0.0242	0.0011
Means followed by different uppercase letters in the row and lowercase letters in the column differ from each other in the F test (P ≤ 0.05). SEM = Standard error of the mean

The total dry matter production in the monocrop system (383 kg DM ha^− 1 year^− 1) was higher in the first year. While the silvopasture displayed an average value of 116 kg DM ha^− 1 year^− 1.

Nutritional value

No effect of the cultivation system was observed on any variable associated with the nutritional value in the first year of evaluation (Table 3) (P > 0.05). In the second year of evaluation, there was no forage mass for evaluating the nutritional value in the monocrop system. An isolated effect of the period of the year (P < 0.05) was observed on the contents of DM, CP (Fig. 6A), ADF, and IVDMD (Fig. 6B). The greatest DM content occurred during the dry period; the lowest CP content was observed in the same period (Fig. 6A). Higher concentrations of ADF and IVDMD were observed in the rainy period, with values of 449.23 g kg^− 1 and 383.09 g kg^− 1, in the rainy season. IVDMD differed in the function of the season (P < 0.05), being higher in the rainy period (Fig. 6B), reaching 383.09 g kg^− 1 DM.

Table 3

Nutritional value of *Mimosa caesalpiniifolia*, under monocrop and silvopasture.
Variable (g.kg^− 1)	Cultivation system
Variable (g.kg^− 1)	Monocrop	Silvopasture	P-value	SEM
Dry matter Ashes Organic matter Crude protein	354	382	0,1533	12,53
	53	54	0,7707	2,34
	947	946	0,7707	2,34
	208	206	0,9293	8,13
Neutral detergent fiber	598	584	0,4647	11,69
Acid detergent fiber	434	437	0,8484	8,95
Hemicellulose	164	146	0,3165	9,38
Cellulose	125	134	0,5958	10,77
Lignin	309	303	0,7345	11,48
In vitro DM digestibility	299	333	0,2166	14,92
SEM = standard error of the mean.

It was observed an interaction between season and year on CP, NDF, and hemicellulose contents of M. caesalpiniifolia under the silvopasture system (Table 4). During the rainy period of the first year of evaluation, there was a higher concentration of CP (223.41 g kg^− 1 DM), compared to the dry period of the same year (189.55 g kg^− 1 DM); In the second year, the CP concentration did not differ during the rainy and dry periods (average of 185.5 g kg^− 1 DM). In the first year of evaluation, the NDF content did not differ between the rainy (604.00 g kg^− 1) and dry (563.23 g kg^− 1) seasons, in addition, comparing the dry period of both years there was no significant difference. However, there was a reduction in the NDF (465.29 g kg^− 1) in the rainy season of the second year. The lowest concentration of hemicellulose (139.48 g kg^− 1 DM) was observed during the dry period of the first year of evaluation, while in the second year of evaluation during the same period, there was a significant increase in hemicellulose (255.16 g kg^− 1 MS). In the present study, considering the dry period of the second year, it can be inferred that M. caesalpiniifolia concentrated more hemicellulase than lignin in the silvopasture system (Table 4) (Fig. 7B).

Table 4

Interaction between season x year on crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and hemicellulose of *Mimosa caesalpiniifolia*, under a silvopastoral system.
Período do ano	Year		P-value	SEM
	2021	2022
	Crude protein (g.kg^− 1)
Rainy	223 Aa	173 Ba	0,0002	11,82
Dry	190 Ab	192 Aa	0,7365	8,36
P-value	0,0025	0,0748
	Neutral detergent fiber (g.kg^− 1)		0,0010 0,6050	38,15 26,97
Rainy	604 Aa	465 Bb 549 Aa
Dry	563 Aa	465 Bb 549 Aa
P-value	0,2268	0,0166
	Hemicellulose (g.kg^− 1)
Rainy	153 Aa	158 Ab	0,8733	30,28
Dry	139 Ba	255 Aa	< 0,0001	21,41
P-value	0,6064	0,0009
Means followed by different uppercase letters in the row and lowercase letters in the column differ from each other in the F test (P ≤ 0.05). SEM: standard error of the mean.

The greatest lignin content (253.30 g kg^− 1 DM) occurred during the rainy season, while in the dry period, lignin concentration (227.90 g kg^− 1 DM) declined (Fig. 7A). The highest levels of ADF (437.31 g kg^− 1 DM) and lignin (303.16 g kg^− 1) occurred in the first year of evaluation (Fig. 7B). Higher IVDMD was observed during the rainy period (Fig. 8).

Dendrometric analysis

The absence of effect regarding the cultivation system on plant height can be explained by the greater intraspecific competition for light between plants that occurred in the monocrop system (5,000 plants ha^− 1), since after 38 months of age, the plants had already reached their full development (4.5 m). Furthermore, M. caesalpiniifolia has rapid initial growth, which is one of the main advantages of this species in pasture areas, when compared to other arboreal and exotic legumes (Silva et al. 2014; Herrera et al. 2021). Some morphological responses under competition may occur in the crown area, branches, and stem shape, affecting wood production (Yang et al. 2019). For example, under competition for light, plants can promote the growth of supporting structures such as stems and branches, aiming to allow the leaves to reach the light (Cardwell, 1987). Furthermore, to intercept more light, plants change the balance between vertical and lateral growth, which eventually triggers architectural transformation (Clark, 2010).

This may explain the results of other studies performed in the same experimental area in the initial growth phase of M. caesalpiniifolia, for example, Carvalho et al. (2022) evaluated plant height in initial growth (29 months) and observed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between cultivation systems, with average plant height values of 2.4 m under monocrop, and 2.8 m in the silvopasture. Oliveira Neto (2022) evaluated M. caesalpiniifolia until 38 months of age and also recorded a significant effect, with higher plants (3.6 m) in the monocrop systems, compared to the silvopasture (3.4 m). Thus, the cultivation system may influence M. caesalpiniifolia height in its initial growth (38 months). When the plants reached their full development (38 to 60 months), in the case of the present study, no difference in plant height was observed between cultivation systems. According to Lorenzi (2002), M. caesalpiniifolia can vary in height between 5 and 8 m.

Herrera et al. (2021) evaluated the growth dynamics and nutritional value of different legume species gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) and M. caesalpiniifolia in silvopasture system with signal grass (Urochloa decumbens) and observed a higher plants of M. caesalpiniifolia (6.1 m) compared to gliricidia (4.9 m), at seven years of age. The rapid growth of M. caesalpiniifolia in silvopasture when compared to gliricidia can be justified by its reduced consumption by grazing animals due to the presence of prickles and condensed tannins, which limit the animals' intake of this plant (Carvalho et al. 2022; Oliveira Neto, 2022). The opposite occurs with gliricidia due to its high acceptability, animals consume more of this legume ending up reducing their growth and development under grazed areas such as silvopasture (Herrera et al. 2021).

Concerning the forage mass, the absence of effect of the cultivation system (p > 0.05) can be explained due to the greater density in monoculture (5,000 plants ha^− 1) compared to SSP (600 plants ha^− 1). In denser cultivations, greater biomass production is expected, as well as greater production of wood per area. However, this condition in the monocrop system resulted in greater shading (trees with an average of 4.9 m) in the lower stratum (1.5 m) due to the elongation of the tree stem in this condition (Paciullo et al. 2011; Taiz et al. 2017). Forage production per plant (7 g DM plant^− 1) and the forage mass were reduced due to the low incidence of light in the lower stratum of the M. caesalpiniifolia under monocrop. Wang et al. (2012) indicated that strong competition reduces available resources and decreases tree growth and biomass accumulation.

On the other hand, in the silvopasture system, the lower density resulted in less competition between plants contributing to higher production per plant (36 g DM plant^− 1) (Table 1) when compared to the monocrop system of M. caesalpiniifolia. The reduced production per plant contributed to the reduction of forage mass (35 kg DM ha^− 1) in the monocrop system, this may have contributed to minimizing the significant effect of the cultivation systems on the forage mass. Yang et al. (2019) reported that trees compete for both light and growing space; under strong competition, oak trees (Quercus liaotungensis) reduced the biomass of their branches to allow the biomass of the underground parts to develop, while at the same time prioritizing stem growth. Oliveira Neto (2022), evaluating forage mass up to 1.5m in height in the same experimental area between 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 in the dry period, reported forage mass values between 24 and 332 kg DM ha^− 1, respectively.

The forage mass obtained in the present study for the monocrop and silvopasture are higher than those found by Silva et al. (2014) in areas with a density of 600 plants ha^− 1, when harvesting branches and leaves at 54 months of age, they reported an average value of 6.49 kg DM ha^− 1. On the other hand, Costa et al. (2016) and Oliveira et al. (2018) reported average values ranging from 94 to 624 kg DM ha^− 1 in areas intercropped with M. caesalpiniifolia and signal grass during the period from September 2012 to August 2013, with a density of 2,500 plants ha^− 1, and harvesting at a height up to 1.5 m. Forage mass reductions in legume trees were also reported by Herrera et al. (2021) in silvopasture with grass, these authors reported that water availability at the time of harvesting was a factor of influence.

This was probably due to the greater number of stems in monocrop trees compared to silvopasture. Apolinário et al. (2015) reported that the development of the diameter at breast height of M. caesalpiniifolia was inversely related to the increase in the number of stems. This plant has the characteristic of dichotomous branches that are mobilized to stimulate stem elongation and growth in monoculture, however, this is a characteristic of the plants that etiolate, concentrating their reserves to lengthen the stems, consequently, they have a smaller basal diameter and diameter at breast height (Herrera et al. 2021).

M. caesalpiniifolia is a species that has dense and compact wood, with low moisture content. The commercial value of M. caesalpiniifolia wood, with a diameter between 12.6–21.9 cm in circumference, is estimated approximately between US$ 0.9 to 1.6 per stem-stake; and with a diameter of 25.5 cm between US$ $1.9 to 2.4 stem-stake, both prices estimated for 2.2 m long stems. According to Herrera et al. (2021), the stems with these diameters correspond to intermediate and thick branches and have the potential to contribute to increasing the producer's income, especially in silvopasture system with M. caesalpiniifolia. The trees produced in the present study had their diameter at breast height within the expected commercial size and could contribute to improving produce incomes, especially with the plants with the largest diameter at breast height as observed for the M. caesalpiniifolia growing in the silvopasture. However, it is important to consider that since implementation, the trees have not undergone any thinning management actions. According to Murta Junior et al. (2020), thinning can stimulate the production of high-quality wood by obtaining large trees in a shorter time, altering the dendrometric characteristics of the remaining trees.

The basal diameter was larger (> 19%) in the silvopasture compared to the observed in the monocrop system, probably due to less intraspecific competition for light, water, and nutrients (Silva et al. 2021a). Furthermore, this variable increased significantly throughout the evaluation period, with an average basal diameter of 18.7 cm during the experimental period. Herrera et al. (2021) and Carvalho et al. (2022) reported a basal diameter of 7.6 cm and 13.2 cm, at 84 and 29 months, respectively. In the present study, after 60 months of establishment, the basal diameter was 24.0 cm, representing 3.16 and 1.8 times greater than that reported by these authors, respectively. This probably occurred because this plant has an extensive root system that can access nutrients and water in deeper layers of the soil (Lira Jr. et al. 2020; Silva et al. 2021) and thus continued its growth. Furthermore, it is important to monitor the height of trees to improve the management of the forestry component, aiming to understand its potential in the environment in which it is located (Rajab-Pourrahmati et al. 2018).

The lower forage mass during the dry period can be justified because M. caesalpiniifolia is a deciduous species, with senescence of the leaves and detachment of branches during the dry period (Castro Filho et al. 2016). Although there was an increase in forage mass of 37% in the rainy season (Fig. 4B), the result obtained in the present study was lower than that reported by Oliveira Neto (2022) (661 kg DM ha^− 1). The forage mass produced by M. caesalpiniifolia is not readily accessible for animal consumption due to its height. Senescing leaves may contribute to nutrient cycling via litter deposition and N cycling to the system, indirectly contributing to animal production (Apolinário et al. 2015; Figueiredo et al. 2023).

In the first year of evaluation in the monocrop system there was a higher forage mass (69 kg DM ha^− 1) compared to the silvopasture systems in both years (22 kg DM ha^− 1). This variation can be explained due to the greater number of plants in monoculture (5,000 plants ha^− 1) compared to silvopasture (600 plants ha^− 1). Furthermore, in the second year the reduction in forage mass occurred due to the shading caused by the growth of the plant stems in search of light, thus, the forage mass was limited in the lower stratum of the trees. Legume species produce less forage when compared to grasses due to their C₃ metabolism, and the presence of photorespiration in high-temperature conditions (Taiz et al. 2017). It is worth mentioning that the production of M. caesalpiniifolia considered only thin branches up to 1.5 m in height.

Nutritional value

Greater dry matter levels during the dry period are normally observed, since the moisture levels in the soil and air are reduced, due to the absence of precipitation (Pereira et al. 2022). During this period, there is a restriction in plant growth (Mukarram et al. 2021), resulting in higher concentrations of DM in plant structures. The reduction in crude protein content during the dry period occurs due to the loss of quality, induced by the maturity of the leaves (Fig. 6A). Carvalho et al. (2022) observed a greater crude protein content in M. caesalpiniifolia leaves during the rainy season, with the content being reduced in the dry season with the advancement of leaf maturity and also due to deciduousness. Other studies (Bhardwaj et al. 2021; Navale et al. 2022; Sharma et al. 2023) reported variations in the crude protein content in the foliage of other tree species during different times of the year. Seasonal variations in temperature, precipitation, and other climatic conditions affect the photosynthetic process, which alters forage production and nutritional value (Ravhuhali et al. 2022). The crude protein content in the leaves is considered one of the most important nutritional parameters for animal health and productivity (Sharma et al. 2023), as ruminants need at least 70 g kg^− 1 of crude protein to maintain the microbial metabolic processes in the rumen. Based on this, in the present study, the crude protein content in the rainy and dry seasons can meet the nutritional requirements for ruminants.

Plants generally have higher growth rates during the rainy period in the tropics, due to the greater availability of water and nutrients in the soil (Piao et al. 2019), resulting in greater biomass production and, consequently, greater accumulation of fibrous and support tissues, via increased thickness of cell walls (Ferreira et al. 2023). Several abiotic factors (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and soil fertility) also have a direct influence on the nutritional value of forage (Silva et al. 2021). Furthermore, the branches ≤ 5.0 mm sampled with the leaves may have contributed to increasing the ADF content in both periods of the year, a fact that also explains the low IVDMD coefficient observed. Herrera et al. (2021) evaluated the nutritional value of M. caesalpiniifolia in a silvopastoral system and reported an ADF content of 392 g kg^− 1 DM in the leaves. Concerning the IVDMD, as leaf maturity advances, thickening and increased lignification of the cell wall occur, resulting in a decline in digestibility (Lima et al. 2019), a fact that probably occurred in the dry period, causing low IVDMD (248.98 g kg^− 1 DM). Low digestibility rates can reduce forage consumption, due to the decrease in passage rate (Mertens, 2010), thus compromising animal performance over time. The variation in NDF was associated with the proportions of thin branches and leaves harvested in each sampling. According to Van Soest (1994), when NDF values exceed the range of 550–600 g kg^− 1 DM, there is a negative effect on forage consumption and digestibility, consequently harming animal performance.

The CP levels obtained in the present study confirm the importance of using legumes in grazing production systems, as content above the 7% required for the maintenance of the ruminal microbiota was observed. In addition to increasing CP content in the diet of grazing animals, N-rich litter is capable of providing an additional source of this nutrient for the pasture component in silvopasture systems, increasing the productive and qualitative potential of forage from the herbaceous layer (Figueiredo et al. 2023). Legume trees can provide an important ecosystem service through the incorporation of litter high low C/N ratio increasing mineralization rates and nutrient cycling (Lira Jr. et al., 2020; Moreno-Gálvan et al. 2023); and improving the quality of soil through the storage of soil organic carbon (López-Hernandez et al. 2023).

The greater hemicellulose in plants during the dry period is a response to adverse environmental conditions. During periods of drought, plants are exposed to elevated solar radiation, higher temperatures, and less rainfall. Plants subjected to these extreme conditions can adopt anatomical and cellular modifications, including thicker cell walls and a greater leaf proportion of sclerenchyma and vascular tissues (Kering et al. 2011; Habermann et al. 2021). The increase in hemicellulose in the plant can bring some benefits to grazing animals, due to the ease for microorganisms to degrade this fraction in the digestive tract of ruminant animals compared to cellulose and lignin (Li, 2021). Increased ADF and NDF levels reduce fiber digestion, limiting forage consumption by ruminants and consequently can limit animal performance (Habermann et al. 2021).

Lignin synthesis requires high energy and nutrient uptake, which can be limited during drought stress (Peracchi et al. 2024). Furthermore, this fraction is richer in carbon and less hydrated when compared to hemicellulose and cellulose fractions, which can increase the demand for water for the synthesis of this compound (Rupitak and Srisaikam, 2021). In addition, the lignin content may vary over time during plant growth. M. caesalpiniifolia likely accumulated more hemicellulose in the dry period than lignin (Fig. 7A), considering the water demand and energy expenditure to synthesize this fibrous fraction, this assumption can be confirmed with the reduction in the content of ADF and lignin in the second year in the silvopasture (Fig. 7B).

The considerable CP content and the reduced NDF (Table 4), ADF, and lignin (Fig. 7B) in the second year contributed to increasing the digestibility of forage of M. caesalpiniifolia during the rainy season. Seasonal fluctuations occur throughout the year (Fig. 2), in the dry period, there was a reduction in forage quality, characterized by an increase in fiber content, a reduction in protein levels and digestibility (Fig. 8). Favorable climatic conditions with adequate rainfall and moderate temperatures contribute to greater forage quality and nutritional value (Tlahig et al. 2024).

In the nutritional aspect, IVDMD is also directly related to the ruminal concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), which depends on the level of food intake and diet composition (Hall et al. 2015). Santos et al. (2020) evaluated in vitro ruminal fermentation parameters and methane production in Urochloa brizantha in a silvopasture system associated with levels of protein supplementation and reported that when there was a greater amount of NDF there was lower digestibility of the forage. When forage had a higher concentration of CP resulted in greater digestibility and, consequently, higher concentrations of VFAs. Forage digestibility is one of the essential measurements that can reveal the potential to provide energy for ruminants (Van Soest, 1994). Therefore, understanding variations in the nutritional value of the forage over time is an important advance to assist in the management of the arboreal component in silvopasture systems (Chebli et al. 2022; Santana et al. 2022). In the present study, IVDMD can be considered low, as it is outside the range (600–670 g kg^− 1) as reported by Lascano (1994) for in vitro assays.

Another factor that must be taken into account in the nutritional value of forage from legume trees is the presence of secondary compounds, such as tannin, which can affect the acceptability of the forage by the grazing animals, resulting in a reduction in voluntary intake and dry matter digestibility (Guimarães-Beelen et al. 2006). Diniz et al. (2024) evaluated the nutritional value of Stylosanthes spp. a subshrub legume, and reported that the highest concentration of condensed tannins occurred in the dry period since the biosynthesis of condensed tannins is related to environmental conditions. Also, other factors such as the age of the plant and other abiotic factors associated with temperature changes, water content in plant tissues, photosynthetic radiation, and nutrient deficiency can modify the percentage of secondary compounds in legume plants (Oliveira et al. 2022). Condensed tannins represent substances that can negatively affect the use of nutrients by ruminants, due to their anti-nutritional characteristics (Costa et al. 2021).

M. caesalpiniifolia has better dendrometric characteristics that allow the production of high-quality wood in a short harvesting time, especially when cultivated under a silvopasture system compared to monocrop legume alley. The silvopasture provides greater forage production per M. caesalpiniifolia plant and better nutritional value of the forage than it’s the legume growing under a monocrop system, however without variation in CP content of the leaves between cropping systems. Pruning management in M. caesalpiniifolia must be considered in both monocrop and silvopastoral systems.

Competing Interests

The authors declare that they do not have any financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence their work.

Author Contribution

JLPSI, ACLM, MVC e VJS: investigação, coleta de dados e escreveram o texto principal do manuscrito; JRS, CBMC e SBMC: coleta de dados e análises laboratoriais, NAC: coleta de dados, MVFS e JCBDJr: correções e escrita do manuscrito. Todos os autores revisaram o manuscrito.

Acknowledgement

Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Fundação de Amparo a Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq).

Data availability

The datasets of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Dendrometry, production and nutritional value of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. under monocrop and silvopastoral system

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