Abstract

Improving the pasture condition and productivity as a means for increasing animal production is the key factor for the grazing systems of the South of Chile. The climate of this region is temperature humid, with a period of pasture soil water restriction from November to March, associated with Summer rainfall amount and frequency. Several limiting factors contribute to lower pasture growth and production, including soil nutrient deficiency related to volcanic ash soils (allophanic sols), such as soil acidity, high levels of soil aluminum saturation as well as high phosphorus fixation. Also there are problems associated with grazing management, often due to overgrazing, which encourage the development of slow growing species, classified as stress tolerates.