02389naa a2200229 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000220006024500780008226000090016050000210016952016490019065000130183965000170185265000150186965000130188465000150189765000120191265300200192465300200194477301950196415553532000-08-22       1999    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aANDRADE, R. P. de  aTropical pasture seed productionbpractice, experiences and perspectives.  c1999  aGrasslands 2000.  aThe characteristics of the pasture exploitation systems and of the pasture species allied to economical and social conditions existing in the tropical world have generated a diversity of pasture seed supply  systems. Compared to grain seed systems, tropical pasture seed production syste are less regulated by government, and the relationship among participants can be very informal. Research in tropical seed production is a relatively new activity but it has generated enough technologv to support seed production of the main tropical pasture species. Adoption of this technology, however, may be restrained by deficient extension and communication services or by low adequacy of the technology to the different seed production systems exixting each country. A successful tropical seed industry only prospers in specific and delimited regions with suitable climatic conditions. Some countries, may not have thase regions regions and selection of pasture germplasm able to produce seed under the prevailing conditions may be a feasible alternative to support pasture development activities. Harvest timing has received great priority from research, mainly in Latin  America. The choice of an adequate harvesting method and improving harvesting efficiency to reduce losses, so that a greater share of the total yield can be collected, is the most direct was to improve seed yieds in tropical pasture species. Although the tropical pasture seed market is expanding, at lest in Latin America, research funding is diminishing and researchers will have to use all their creativity to find alternative ways to finance tropical pasture seed research.  apastures  aStylosanthes  aBrachiaria  aPastagem  aProdução  aSemente  aRegiao tropical  aSeed production  tIn: INTERNATIONAL GRASSLAND CONFERENCE, 18., 1997, Winnipeg and Saskatoon. Proceedings. [S.l.]: Canadian Forage Council/Canadian Society of Agronomy/Canadian Society of Animal Science, 1999.