Flowering stages | Date of defoliation | Control height (cm) | Crop height before defoliation (cm) | Crop height after defoliation (cm) | Umbels with flowers (N∙m−2)a | Vegetation cover (%)a | Yield (kg∙DM∙ha−1) |
DBF | 28 Dec. 10 | 27.2 ± 2.0bc | 26.1 ± 2.6bc | 17.6 ± 2.5d | 22.0 ± 7.1b | 91.4 ± 1.3 | 762 ± 175 |
DMF | 03 Jan. 11 | 35.7 ± 0.8a | 35.6 ± 1.1a | 22.9 ± 0.6bc | 81.0 ± 13.6b | 100 | 1150 ± 106 |
DFF | 11 Jan. 11 | 36.2 ± 1.5a | 34.7 ± 1.7a | 21.6 ± 1.9bd | 448 ± 30.3a | 100 | 1182 ± 84.0 |