Satisfactory tillering is the basic attribute to ensure stability and productivity of a grass population. We aimed to develop an understanding of tillering in Urochloa brizantha syn. Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu (Marandu palisadegrass) maintained at constant or variable heights during the various seasons of the year and to identify defoliation strategies that optimize tillering. In an experiment conducted in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 3 defoliation strategies were studied: sward kept at 30 cm during the whole year (constant height); kept at 15 cm in fall/winter, 30 cm in spring and 45 cm in summer (increasing height); and kept at 45 cm in fall/winter, 30 cm in spring and 15 cm in the summer (decreasing height). The experiment was completely randomized, with 4 replicates. The following variables were evaluated: tiller appearance (TAR), mortality (TMR) and survival (TSR) rates; the balance (BAL) between TAR and TMR; tiller population stability (TPS); and number of tillers/m 2 (NT). In winter and late spring, TAR and BAL were low, while in early spring, the sward with decreasing height showed high TAR, BAL and TPS. The NT was higher when managed with increasing height than with other height strategies. Lowering pasture height from 45 to 30 cm after the winter increased TAR in early spring. Grazing studies seem warranted to assess how these results can be reproduced under grazing and how pasture yield and quality plus animal performance compare with those under the fixed grazing height regimen.Keywords: Defoliation, grazing management, pasture height, tillers, Urochloa brizantha. ResumenLa capacidad para formar macollas es un atributo básico para garantizar la sostenibilidad y productividad de una población de plantas en una pastura. En Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil se evaluó el macollamiento de Urochloa brizantha (syn. Brachiaria brizantha) cv. Marandú manejado a alturas constantes o variables durante las diferentes estaciones del año con el objetivo de identificar las estrategias de defoliación que optimicen el macollamiento de este cultivar. Las estrategias de defoliación consistieron en: pastura a una altura de 30 cm a través del año (altura constante); pastura a 15 cm en otoño/invierno, 30 cm en primavera y 45 cm en verano (altura creciente); y pastura a 45 cm en otoño/invierno, 30 cm en primavera y 15 cm en verano (altura decreciente). El diseño del experimento fue completamente al azar, con 4 repeticiones. Las variables evaluadas fueron: tasas de aparición de rebrotes (TAR), mortalidad de rebrotes (TMR) y supervivencia de rebrotes (TSR); equilibrio (BAL) entre TAR y TMR; estabilidad de la población de rebrotes (TPS); y número de rebrotes/m 2 (NT). En invierno y hacia finales de la primavera, TAR y BAL fueron bajos, mientras que a principios de la primavera, el tratamiento decreciente mostró altos TAR, BAL y TPS. El NT fue mayor en el ___________ Correspondence: G.P. Silva, University of São Paulo/ESALQ, Department of Animal Science, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Agronomia, Piracicaba CEP 13418-90...

Height variations in a sward over the year may be efficient for increasing plant growth, compared with maintenance of the sward at a constant height. Thus, this experiment was conducted from February 2013 to May 2014 to characterise the development of Urochloa brizantha syn. Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu (marandu palisadegrass), managed under three defoliation strategies: constant height (30 cm during the entire experimental period), increasing height (15 cm in the winter, 30 cm in the spring, and 45 cm in the summer), and decreasing height (45 cm in the winter, 30 cm in the spring, and 15 cm in the summer). The experimental design was completely randomised, in a split-plot arrangement, with four replicates. Phyllochron was higher in the winter, but leaf and stem elongation rates and the number of live leaves per tiller were lower compared with the spring and summer. In the summer, the swards under increasing height displayed a higher phyllochron than those under decreasing and constant height. When comparing seasons, the highest leaf senescence rate occurred in spring. In the winter, the sward with increasing height had shorter leaves and stems, in contrast to the summer. The sward under decreasing height showed a high stem elongation rate in the spring. Marandu palisadegrass has great flexibility in terms of defoliation management and a typical seasonal development pattern. Modifying the sward height results in a gradual change in the development of marandu palisadegrass and generates residual effects on the subsequent season.