Nutritional limitants for feed grasses of an allic Cambisol of Campos microregion of Mantiqueira-MG, Brazil. 1. Dry matter production and prospects. [Portuguese

• Published in: Pasturas Tropicales Vol. 17
• Main Authors: Marques J.J.G.S, Curi Nilton, Faquin Valdemar, Teixeira W.G, Evangelista Antonio Ricardo, Santos D, Carvalho Margarida Mesquita
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: 1995
• Subjects: andropogon gayanus; aplicacion de abonos; brachiaria brizantha; brasil; brazil; bresil; chaulage; crop yield; encalado; establecimiento de plantas; etablissement de la plante; fertilidad del suelo; fertilisation; fertilite du sol; fertilizer application; liming; plant establishment; rendement des cultures; rendimiento de cultivos; soil fertility
• ISSN: 1012-7410

En la casa de vegetacion del Departamento de Ciencia del Suelo de la Universidad Federal de Lavras, Lavras MG, Brasil, se estudiaron las limitaciones de un Cambisol alico (Inceptisol), recolectado en la region de Campos da Mantiqueira, para el crecimiento y produccion de materia seca (MS) de Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu y Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina. El suelo tiene 4 por ciento de M.O., un pH de 4.9, 1 ppm de P, 25 ppm de K y 0.3, 0.1, 0.7 y 5.6 meq/100 cm3 de Ca, Mg, Al y H + Al, respectivamente. Los tratamientos fueron: (1) Testigo (T) = suelo natural. The effects of an allic Cambisol on the growth and dry matter (DM) production of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu and Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina were studied in greenhouse conditions at the Soil Science Department of the Federal University of Lavras. The soil, collected in the region of Campos da Mantiqueira in Minas Gerais, Brazil, had a pH of 4.9 and contained 4 OM, 1 ppm P, 25 ppm K, and 0.3, 0.1, 0.7, and 5.6 meq/100 cm3 of Ca, Mg, Al, and H + Al, respectively. Treatments were: (1) check (C) = natural soil; (2) complete (C1) = liming + N, P, K, S, B, Cu, and Zn; (3) complete (C2) = C1 - liming + Ca and Mg in form of sulfate; (4) C1 - liming (-lime); (5) C1 - N (-N); (6) C1 P (-P); (7) C1 - K (-K); (8) C1 - S (-S); (9) C1 - B, Cu, and Zn (-micro); (10) C2 - Ca (-Ca); (11) C2 - Mg (-Mg). Application rates of nutrients (mg/kg) applied at planting were N = 80, P = 200, K = 150, Ca = 75, S = 50, B = 0.5, Cu = 1.5, and Zn = 5. During the growth period of the grasses, N was applied three times at a rate of 30 mg/kg and K at 20 mg/kg. After germination, three plants were left per pot, and moisture was maintained at 60 percent saturation. Grasses were cut at 118 days (brachiaria), 138 (andropogon), and 208 days (both) after planting. A completely randomized experiment design, with 11 treatments and three replicates, was used. Results showed significant reductions in DM production (percent) of B. brizantha, as compared to the complete treatment (C1) with the treatments: -N (20 percent); -P (5 percent); and -K (45 percent). In the case of A. gayanus, these same reductions were 32 percent for -N and 1 percent for -P. For B. brizantha, as of the second cutting, K, Ca, and S were also found to be limiting nutrients. B. brizantha, with its quick establishment and DM production, shows great potential for the region of Campos da Mantiquiera, MG, Brasil.