%0 Artículo (Article) %A Piñeros, Roberto %I Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (Agrosavia) %D 2019 %G Español (Spanish) %T Response of Bothriochloa saccharoides ([Sw.] Rydb.) grass to different simulated shade intensities in the warm valley of Magdalena in the Department of Tolima (Colombia) %U http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12324/35102 %X  Silvopastoral systems must withstand shading and have good nutritional quality. This study aimed to analyze dry matter production, agronomic indicators and nutritional quality in Bothriochloa saccharoides grass, under simulated shade conditions: 30%; 50% and 0% sunlight, the last acting as control. This study was carried out at the "La strella” farm, located in the municipality of Venadillo, Tolima. Biomass production measurements were taken 52 days after sowing, in both wet and dry season. Dry matter production in the wet season was 3.47, 3.0 and 5.56 t ha-1 and in the dry season 2.33, 2.44 and 2.5 t ha-1, for the simulated covers of 50%, 30% and the control, respectively and no significant differences (P≤0.05) were found for the variable in these treatments, which potentially suggests the use of this grass in silvopastoral systems with moderate tree cover. We observed significant differences (P≤0.05) among of the heights of the plants between 30% and 50% simulated shade compared to the control treatment, mainly in the dry season. In nutritional terms, protein results were 11.41%, 10.57% and 8.36% in the wet season and 9.61%, 10.51% and 12.95% in the dry season under the simulated shade of 50%, 30% and the control, respectively. Digestibility analysis indicated values for the wet season of 70.02%, 71.92% and 67.77% and for the dry season of 69.61%, 68.31% and 68.15% under shades of 50%, 30% and the control, respectively. These results revealed a similar productive performance under different simulated shades conditions, which makes this grass tolerant to shade conditions and a good choice for use in silvopastoral systems.