Manure Source and Cropping System Affect Nutrient Uptake by Cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm Dyck)

Felipe Martins Saraiva,Rômulo Simões Cezar Menezes,Dayanne Camelo,José Carlos Batista Dubeux,Márcio Vieira Da Cunha,Ivan Ferraz,Mércia Virginia Ferreira Dos Santos

doi:10.3390/agronomy11081512

Abstract

Forage cactus responds positively to organic fertilization. However, little is known about the mineralization dynamics of the various sources of existing organic fertilizers. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the release of nutrients from different manure types and the nutrient accumulation in forage cactus across different cropping systems. Different manure sources (cattle, goat, sheep, and broiler litter) were evaluated for the following cropping systems: (i) Gliricidia sepium intercropped with cactus cv. IPA-Sertânia; (ii) Leucaena leucocephala intercropped with cactus cv. IPA-Sertânia; and (iii) Cactus cv. IPA-Sertânia in monoculture, in the tropical semiarid region of Brazil. The rate of decomposition and release of N, P, and K from manure was determined by incubating a litterbag, evaluated in different periods (0, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256 days). Broiler litter released the greatest amount of N and P. Sheep manure released the greatest amounts of K. The greatest accumulations of N, P, and K in cactus biomass occurred when broiler litter was applied. Cactus monoculture accumulated less N over 256 days, indicating that the presence of tree legumes favors the accumulation of N in cactus. Broiler litter promoted the best synchronism between N release and N uptake in different cropping systems.

Highlights

Departamento de Energia Nuclear, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av
Miranda et al [1] observed that cactus growing near tree legumes (Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala) produced greater biomass than cactus growing away from the trees
The objective was to evaluate the release of nutrients from different manure types and the nutrient accumulation in forage cactus across different cropping systems

Summary

Introduction

Departamento de Energia Nuclear, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. 1. Introduction with regard to jurisdictional claims in Forage cactus is an important source for animal feed in different arid and semiarid regions of the world. Introduction with regard to jurisdictional claims in Forage cactus is an important source for animal feed in different arid and semiarid regions of the world The productivity of this crop is affected by management [1], cultivar [2], planting spacing [3], among other factors. The xerophytic habit and the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) that leads to morphophysiological changes under adverse conditions [5] make this forage species an important alternative for areas with erratic rainfall distribution This cactus variety is productive and is a source of energy for livestock; it is rich in non-fiber carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and water. This diversification of forage resources within the production system reduces the need to import feed from other regions, and this is especially important in small properties where resources are scarcer

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion