Rancher interest and on-pasture performance of Pseudosamanea guachapele and Samanea saman (Mimosaceae) in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

This study was; conducted in the vicinity of the Colorado de Abaranges in southwestern Guanacaste, Costa Rica, to assess the suitability of Pseudosamanea guachapele and Samanea saman for incorporation into local silvopastoral systems. Seedlings of both species were transplanted into a homogeneous block of actively grazed and degraded pasture. The block was divided in half (each approx equal to 35 x 15 m): the first half was fenced to exclude cattle and the other half was left open to grazing by attle from the adjoining pasture. Cattle ranged freely throughout the open site and grazed 100 percent of the transplanted seedlings. Despite intense grazing, 80 percent of S. saman and 96 percent of P. guachapele seedlings survived after 5 months. In the cattle excluded site, 89 percent of the S. saman seedlings survived and averaged 59 cm in height after 5 months, while 100 percent of the P. guachapele seedlings survived and averaged 87 cm in height after 5 months. In the grazed site, P. guachapele exhibited more rapid growth and resproutedfaster following grazing than S. saman, but exhibited lower survival and less growth than ungrazed seedlings. Results show that both S. saman and P. guachapele can survive heavy grazing, indicating their potential for incorporation into silvopastoral systems in Guanacaste.