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The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pasture management during the rainy-dry transition season in Jaboticabal, Brazil, on the structural and tillering characteristics of Marandu palisade grass. The treatments were as follows: 15 cm sward height in the rainy season and ungrazed in the rainy-dry transition season (15/0); 25 cm sward height during the rainy season and fixed stocking rate of 2·5 AU ha−1 during the rainy-dry transition season (25/2·5); and 35 cm sward height in the rainy season and fixed stocking rate of 2·5 AU ha−1 in the rainy-dry transition season (35/2·5). There were more herbage mass, stem and dead herbage mass in treatments 25/2·5 and 35/2·5 than 15/0. Tiller appearance rate was greater in treatment 15/0 and tiller mortality rate was higher in treatment 35/2·5 compared to treatment 15/0. Tiller population stability index was 1 in treatment 15/0 and lower in treatment 35/2·5. Although treatment 15/0 showed favourable structural and tillering characteristics, it also has the lowest herbage mass. Treatment 25/2·5 can be regarded as an adequate management strategy for Marandu palisade grass, since it has similar herbage mass and better tillering characteristics than treatment 35/2·5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]