Establishment of Brachiaria cultivars in the soil-climatic conditions of the Brazilian semi-arid region

Jéssica Gomes Rodrigues,João Virgínio Emerenciano Neto,Emmanuel Lievio De Lima Veras,Ana Beatriz Graciano Da Costa,Gelson Dos Santos Difante,Carolina Marques Costa,Marislayne De Gusmão Pereira,Antonio Leandro Chaves Gurgel

doi:10.4025/actascianimsci.v43i1.51802

Abstract

This study aimed was the establishment of the genus Brachiaria in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The experiment was conducted from April to June 2016, as a randomized-block experimental design with five treatments and four replicates. Treatments were represented by five Brachiaria cultivars, namely, Marandu, Paiaguás, Piatã, Xaraés and Basilisk. Morphogenetic (leaf appearance rate, leaf elongation rate e stem elongation rate) and structural characteristics (final leaf length, tiller population density e number of leaves per tiller, forage mass, leaf blade mass, stem mass, senescent material mass and leaf:stem ratio) of the forage cultivars were evaluated. Canopy height fitted a linear regression model (P<0,05), with estimated daily increases of 0.50, 0.53, 0.53, 0.54 and 0.56 cm for cvs Basilisk, Marandu, Paiaguás, Piatã and Xaraés, respectively. The number of live leaves in cvs Basilisk and Paiaguás increased linearly (p < 0.05), by 4.3 and 2.8 leaves per tiller, respectively, during the 60-day period. The recommended height at which the growth of Brachiaria cultivars should be interrupted is upon reaching 25 to 35 cm. In the soil-climatic conditions of the Brazilian semi-arid region, the Brachiaria cultivars Basilisk, Marandu, Paiaguás, Piatã and Xaraés are established at 75 days after sowing, which is the recommended time for performing the first harvest or lenient grazing to stimulate tillering.

Highlights

IntroductionGrasses of the genus Brachiaria have advantages over other genera, e.g. adaptation to drought and to lowfertility soils, carbon-sequestration capacity and the ability to increase their nitrogen utilization efficiency by biologically inhibiting nitrification (Euclides et al, 2019)
The number of live leaves in cvs Basilisk and Paiaguás increased linearly (p < 0.05), by 4.3 and 2.8 live leaves per tiller, respectively (Figure 3), in the 60-day period. This response indicates that this period was not sufficient for those cultivars to reach the maximum number of live leaves per tiller
The other cultivars maintained a constant number of leaves from the start of the evaluation period due to intrinsic characteristics that provide stability in number of live leaves per tiller in the absence of water and nutrient deficiencies

Summary

Introduction

Grasses of the genus Brachiaria have advantages over other genera, e.g. adaptation to drought and to lowfertility soils, carbon-sequestration capacity and the ability to increase their nitrogen utilization efficiency by biologically inhibiting nitrification (Euclides et al, 2019). Despite the great benefits shown by those grasses, the adaptation potential of Brachiaria species to face water scarcity and long drought periods on Quartzipsamments in the Brazilian semi-arid region remains unknown (Nunes, Cabral, Amorim, Santos, & Albuquerque, 2016). Farmers must properly choose adapted cultivars which exhibit persistence in the production of new tissues in the soil-climatic conditions of the region where they are grown (Cândido, Lopes, Furtado, & Pompeu, 2018). Efficient soil amendment and fertilization practices and the right choice of the period to implement the pasture are necessary to ensure the germination and growth of forage in quantity and quality

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Results