EFFECTS OF NITROGEN ON THE DEFOLIATION PROCESS IN RYEGRASS (LOLIUM MULTIFLORUM L.)

With each passing year, studies on annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) have increased, due to its great importance and contribution to the crop-livestock integration system in temperate climate areas. Given the above, this literature review aims to describe, highlight and evaluate the production of forage and seeds, regrowth capacity and standardization of tillers in annual ryegrass, the importance of defoliation and nitrogen fertilization. We can conclude from this review that ryegrass is a forage that presents a series of difficulties for its production, but it is an excellent pasture alternative during the cold months in the south of the country, due to its adaptability to the temperature during the winter and its tolerance to animal trampling with greater intensity in relation to other forage species.