Maize yield in an integrated crop-livestock-forestry system in south Goiás, Brazil

Flávia Feliciano Da Costa Silva,Francine Neves Calil,Tatiana Vieira Ramos,Jorge Luís Sousa Ferreira

doi:10.1590/0034-737x202067030002

Flávia Feliciano Da Costa Silva, Francine Neves Calil + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-737x202067030002

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Cerrado biome is responsible for part of Brazilian food production. However, due to inadequate soil management practices, large areas of crop and forage are degraded, leading to environmental and economic losses. A crop-livestock-forest system (CLFS) is a sustainable production strategy that integrates different cultivations. This objective of this study was to evaluate agronomic characteristics and maize (Zea mayz L.) yield when consorciated with Panicum maximum cv. Tamani, cultivated between rows of eucalypts clones. The statistical design used was randomized blocks, constituted by the following treatments: Maize + AEC 043; Maize + AEC 007; Maize + AEC 2111; and Maize + AEC 2034. The analyzed variables included: spikes length, number of rows, number of grains per row, number of grains per spike, and grain yield. Based on the obtained data, it is possible to conclude that trees did not affect maize yield in a CLFS. Considering that only 66% of the area was used for agriculture, maize yield was higher than when it is planted in total area.

Highlights

Integrated crop-livestock systems have been identified as an alternative to achieve these objectives, sustainability, and development of the rural sector
This involves the cultivation of annual crops and grazing livestock production, aiming to generate positive socioeconomic and environmental results
Several studies suggest that integrated systems such as crop-livestock-forest systems (CLFS), when wellmanaged, improve some of the soil properties, such as physical structure and fertility, and may contribute to the increase of total soil organic carbon stocks (Souza et al, 2009; Silva et al, 2011; Silva et al, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

Integrated crop-livestock systems have been identified as an alternative to achieve these objectives, sustainability, and development of the rural sector. This involves the cultivation of annual crops and grazing livestock production, aiming to generate positive socioeconomic and environmental results. These advantages are made possible by the successive and continuous use of the areas, the increase of agricultural and livestock yields, and the reduction of production costs, provided by the chemical, physical, and biological improvements of the soil (Franzluebbers, 2007; Conte et al, 2011). Among the four possibilities of different productive systems, the agropastoral system (Integrated CropLivestock-Forest) is the most adopted by the producers (REDE FOMENTO ILPF, 2016)

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