Abstract
ABSTRACT Soil acidity and lack of nitrogen fertilization limit the yield of forage grasses. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of lime (0 kg ha-1; 2,000 kg ha-1; 4,000 kg ha-1; and 8,000 kg ha-1) and nitrogen (0 kg ha-1, 20 kg ha-1, 40 kg ha-1, 80 kg ha-1 and 160 kg ha-1) doses on forage accumulation, soil chemical properties and macronutrient concentrations in leaf blades of Massai grass (Panicum maximum cv. Massai). A randomized blocks design in a 4 x 5 factorial scheme, with four replications, was used. Lime and nitrogen doses positively affected the accumulation of green dry mass in the Massai grass as well as the base saturation in the soil. The maximum yield was obtained at nitrogen doses close to 587 kg ha-1 year-1 for nitrogen and 5,796 kg ha-1 for lime, which produced the greatest accumulation of green dry mass (15,267 kg ha-1 year-1) in the first year of assessment. The demand for lime increased from the first to the second year. Lime increased the base saturation, whereas nitrogen reduced it. The nitrogen applied to the soil raised the nitrogen, magnesium and calcium contents (g kg-1) in the leaf blades of Massai grass. Thus, Massai grass reacted positively to nitrogen and lime doses, with significant effects on the accumulation of green dry mass and soil characteristics assessed.
Highlights
In Brazil, ruminants are fed primarily with pasture containing predominantly grasses
Nitrogen and lime had a significant effect on the accumulation of green dry mass (GDM) in Massai grass, during the rainy season of the first year (Figure 2)
Estimated accumulated doses of 607 kg ha-1 year-1 of nitrogen and 3,855 kg ha-1 of calcium promoted greater Green dry mass (GDM) accumulation (11,077 kg ha-1) in the rainy season, whereas 587 kg ha-1 year-1 of nitrogen resulted in the highest GDM accumulation (15,263 kg ha-1 year-1) in the period covering both seasons
Summary
In Brazil, ruminants are fed primarily with pasture containing predominantly grasses. Forage of the Panicum genus is increasingly prominent in pasture-based livestock production systems due to its high forage accumulation potential. When compared to other P. maximum cultivars, Massai grass stands out for its rapid growth rate, low seasonality (Euclides et al 2008), greater resistance to drought and froghoppers (Embrapa 2001), high tolerance to acidity (Valentim et al 2001) and reduced phosphorus (P) content in the soil, since there is no need for fertilizer replenishment (Euclides et al 2008). This study aimed at assessing the potential response to nitrogen and lime combinations through the green dry mass production, as well as determining the variations in the base saturation of soil and nitrogen, calcium and magnesium contents in leaf blades of Massai grass. Twenty days after liming, the soil in all plots was fertilized with 200 kg ha-1 of K2O, 200 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 1,000 kg ha-1 of the 00-20-20
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