Abstract
The appropriate nutrient supply via fertilization is essential for an adequate plant growth and development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural characteristics and chlorophyll index of Marandu and Xaraes grasses fertilized with wood ash. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse; the experimental design was entirely randomized, with 12 treatments and six replications arranged in a 2 × 6 factorial scheme: two forage grasses (Marandu and Xaraes) and six wood ash doses (0; 3; 6; 9; 12; and 15 g·dm-3). Each plot was composed of pots with 7 dm3 soil and five plants. Soil moisture was maintained by the gravimetric method at 60% of the maximum soil water retention capacity. Three harvests of the plant aerial part were performed at 30-day intervals. The evaluated characteristics were plant height, leaf number, tiller number, and chlorophyll index. Results were submitted to the variance analysis by F test and, after verification of the significant effects on Marandu and Xaraes characteristics, were also submitted to Tukey test; the wood ash doses were evaluated according to the regression analysis at 5% probability. Wood ash doses ranging from 10.15 to 15 g·dm-3 resulted in quadratic responses of plant height, leaf number, and tiller number for both Marandu and Xaraes grasses. The highest values of chlorophyll index derived from wood ash doses of 9.44 and 10.92 g·dm-3, with increments greater than 50%, 25%, and 9% at the first, second, and third harvests, respectively. The wood ash, when used as a fertilizer, improves structural characteristics and increases chlorophyll indices of Marandu and Xaraes grasses cultivated in Cerrado Rhodic Hapludox.
Highlights
The nutrient supply via fertilization is important for appropriate plant growth, development, and chlorophyll index
The technical knowledge on this residue management and limiting factors to production must be considered, as well as doses, soil classes, and nutrient requirements by crops [7]; when studying the effect of wood ash fertilization on Marandu grass cultivated in Cerrado Rhodic Hapludox, improvements are observed in its structural characteristics, such as height, leaf number, and tiller number that were promoted by the residue application
The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural characteristics and chlorophyll index of Marandu and Xaraes grasses cultivated in Cerrado Rhodic Hapludox and fertilized with wood ash
Summary
The nutrient supply via fertilization is important for appropriate plant growth, development, and chlorophyll index. The agricultural application of solid wastes derived from agroindustrial processing has been a relevant disposal strategy since the use of this byproduct as a fertilizer has been an important tool for improvement of soil fertility, crop production. When it is properly supplied, it may result in increases of pasture productivity and quality. The technical knowledge on this residue management and limiting factors to production must be considered, as well as doses, soil classes, and nutrient requirements by crops [7]; when studying the effect of wood ash fertilization on Marandu grass cultivated in Cerrado Rhodic Hapludox, improvements are observed in its structural characteristics, such as height, leaf number, and tiller number that were promoted by the residue application. The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural characteristics and chlorophyll index of Marandu and Xaraes grasses cultivated in Cerrado Rhodic Hapludox and fertilized with wood ash
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