‘Florigraze’ rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) is a perennial legume of high forage quality adapted to warm climates, but there has been no comprehensive evaluation of its responses to grazing management. In 1988 and 1989, the effects of grazing frequency and intensity on Florigraze persistence and herbage accumulation (HA) were evaluated on a loamy, siliceous, hyperthermic Grossarenic Paleudults soil. All 12 combinations of three levels of residual dry matter after grazing (RDM, 500, 1500, and 2500 kg ha‐') and four grazing cycle lengths (GC; 7, 21, 42, and 63 d between grazings, including a 0.5‐ to 2‐d grazing period) were replicated twice. Data were analyzed by fitting multiple regression equations starting with a second order polynomial model. In 1988, rhizoma peanut HA ranged from 6130 to 10 240 kg ha− and increased linearly as GC and RDM increased. There was a GC‐by‐RDM interaction for rhizoma peanut HA in 1989, whereby at low RDM, increasing GC increased HA, but GC had less effect as RDM increased. In 1989, rhizoma peanut HA of at least 8800 kg ha− was estimated to occur with GC of 42 d or longer when RDM was 1500 kg ha− or greater. Rhizoma peanut percentage in HA was greatest with high RDM and long GC, but values of 80% or greater in the second year were estimated for RDM as low as 1300 kg ha− when GC was 63 d, or with GC as low as 7 d when RDM was above 2300 kg ha−. Lowest values were obtained with low RDM and short GC. These data indicate that unlike most tropical legumes, rhizoma peanut is productive and persistent over a relatively wide range of grazing management practices.

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‘Florigraze’ rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) is a promising pasture legume for warm climates. In 1988 and 1989, the effect of grazing management on rhizoma peanut canopy light interception (LI) and the role of rhizome reserves in regrowth were studied on a Sparr fine sand (loamy, siliceous, hyperthermic Grossarenic Paleudults). Treatments were replicated twice and included all combinations of three levels of residual dry matter (RDM; 500, 1500, and 2500 kg ha−1) and four grazing cycle lengths (GC; 7, 21, 42, and 63 d between grazings, including a 0.5 to 2‐d grazing period). Data were analyzed by fitting multiple regression equations starting with a second order polynomial model. Canopy LI before grazing ranged from 24 to more than 90% and was lowest for low RDM and short GC treatments, while canopy LI after grazing ranged from 9 to 79% and increased at a decreasing rate as RDM increased. When grazed to 500, 1500, and 2500 kg ha−1, RP required an average of 49, 24, and 12 d to reach 85% LI. At season‐end 1989, rhizome mass (range of 450‐4100 kg ha−1) and total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC; range of 58‐210 g kg−) concentration were lowest at low RDM and short GC, increased with increasing GC when RDM was low, and changed only slightly with changes in GC at RDM above 1700 kg ha−1. Low postgraze light interception and depletion of rhizome mass and total nonstructural carbohydrate with close grazing suggest that reserves were mobilized for rhizoma peanut regrowth. In contrast, postgraze light interception and rhizome mass and reserve status remained high when residual dry matter was 1700 kg ha−1 or greater suggesting that residual leaf area was primarily responsible for regrowth under more lenient grazing.

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BACKGROUND: The grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin, is an invasive alien species introduced into Great Britain in the late nineteenth century and into Northern Italy during the early twentieth century. Grey squirrels have displaced the native European red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris L., throughout much of Great Britain and have a significant impact on trees and woodlands through bark-stripping activity. In Britain, eradication is no longer an option at a regional scale, but fertility control offers a non-lethal approach to reducing negative impacts. The cholesterol mimic DiazaCon  has been successfully used to inhibit reproduction in some species. These studies aimed to evaluate whether DiazaCon  is effective in inhibiting reproduction in grey squirrels. RESULTS: DiazaCon reduced serum cholesterol levels in female grey squirrels at a range of doses. The period of effect increased with increasing dose. Reproduction rate was not significantly different between treatment and control groups owing to a lack of breeding in controls. CONCLUSIONS: DiazaCon has potential to reduce serum cholesterol levels enough and for a sufficient period to reduce fertility in female grey squirrels. Information on baseline physiology and blood chemistry of grey squirrels is required to inform interpretation of the level of significance of the effect.