Grass Brachiaria Decumbens Research Articles

Estabilização de taludes marginais com técnicas de bioengenharia de solos no Baixo São Francisco

Os taludes marginais no baixo curso do Rio São Francisco, dominados por solos de baixa coesão sofrem com o avanço da erosão que causa recuo da margem e assoreamento do canal. A proposta deste trabalho foi estudar a aplicação da bioengenharia de solos visando ao controle da erosão por meio da estabilização dos taludes marginais, para posterior recuperação da vegetação ciliar. A área experimental foi dividida em dois tratamentos com 3 repetições, sendo o tratamento sem uso de bioengenharia (testemunha) implantado à montante do fluxo da água e o tratamento com uso de bioengenharia, à jusante. A técnica de bioengenharia de solos foi caracterizada pela associação do geotêxtil Fibrax® 400 BF com gramínea Brachiaria decumbens, e retentores de sedimentos (Bermalongas®) ao longo da linha d'água. Para avaliação do comportamento do talude realizou-se levantamento topográfico planialtimétrico aos 30, 180, 360 e 540 dias de implantação do experimento. No tratamento sem proteção de bioengenharia (testemunha) ocorreram variações significativas no perfil topográfico, enquanto no talude protegido com bioengenharia ocorreram movimentos de massa pouco expressivos.

Vertical migration of Haemonchus contortus third stage larvae on Brachiaria decumbens grass

The present study aimed at evaluating the vertical migration of Haemonchus contortus third stage larvae (L3) on Brachiaria decumbens grass, as well as at verifying whether larval numbers on pasture varies over the day due to climatic conditions. Feces containing H. contortus L3 were deposited on the soil in the middle of herbage which was initially 30 cm high. Seven days later, samples of different herbage strata (0–10, 10–20 and >20 cm), remaining feces and a layer of approximately 1 cm soil were collected. Tests were carried out in four periods: September 2006, December 2006, March 2007, and June 2007. Samples were collected at sunrise, mid-day, sunset, and mid-night. The humidity and temperature conditions observed in different months influenced larval migration from the feces to the grass. In September, December and March, it rained after fecal deposition on pasture, which favored migration of larvae from the feces to the herbage. Conversely, in June 2007, when there was no rainfall after fecal deposition and temperatures were lower, L3 were mainly recovered from feces. As regards the vertical migration of larvae, the numbers of H. contortus L3 in the forage strata remained relatively constant over the day. This indicates there is not a determined period in which sheep on pasture are at higher risk of infection. Finally, in all collection periods a considerable amount of third stage larvae was observed on the herbage top, which is the first plant part consumed by sheep.

EFEITO DA FONTE DE CÁLCIO (calcário vs Lithothamnium calcareum) NA DIGESTIBILIDADE APARENTE DE CAPIM Brachiaria decumbens Staph cv. Basiliski

An experiment was developed to determine the effect of addition of the marine alga Lithothamnium calcareum in the apparent digestibility of a low quality forage. Twelve adult lambs were kept in metabolical individual cages using a randomly design with three replications and four treatments as follows: I - Brachiaria decumbens grass hay, processed after the seed harvest; II - Hay plus 1000 ppm of calcium from CaCO3 (p.a.); III - Hay plus 1000 ppm of calcium from mineral supplement of alga; IV - Hay plus 2000 ppm of calcium from mineral supplement of alga. The mineral supplement of alga increased the digestibility of crude protein in 7,5% with dosage 1000 ppm and in 12% with dosage of 2000 ppm, when compared with control treatment, but such changes were not significant (P

Chemical amendment and phytostabilization of an industrial residue contaminated with Zn and Cd

Phytostabilisation of a contaminated soil with heavy metals is considered a very appropriate technology to reduce erosion and dispersion of contaminants. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the effects of both chemical amendments (calcium silicate and brewery sludge), and phytoremediation using the grass Brachiaria decumbens, on an industrial residue contaminated with Zn and Cd (industrial residue). Industrial residue samples placed into 30 L containers were amended with 20% brewery sludge, calcium silicate (2%, 3%), and 20% of brewery sludge + calcium silicate (2.5%, 4%), and were compared to the control treatment (non-amended residue). After pH stabilization, B. decumbens plants were grown on all treatments in order to evaluate the ability of the species to tolerate high Zn and Cd concentrations from the residue. Samples were collected twice, at planting and harvesting, for pH determination and simple extractions with water, sodium nitrate, acetic acid and DTPA. Differences in Zn and Cd concentrations in extracts allowed to estimate the concentrations of these elements in the most likely chemical forms they are found in the residue. Alkaline and organic industrial amendments reduced Zn and Cd percentages, both in the soluble and exchangeable fractions, as well as caused the predominance of Zn and Cd in the most stable chemical fractions, such as complexed and precipitated compounds. B. decumbens was tolerant to Zn and Cd from the industrial residue after addition of the amendments.

Effect of physical, chemical and environmental characteristics on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Brachiaria decumbens (Stapf) pastures

To evaluate the effects of soil physical and chemical factors (pH, conductivity, humidity, available phosphorus and organic matter) and environmental factors (temperature, relative air humidity, altitude and atmospheric pressure) on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)-Brachiaria decumbens grass relationship. Furthermore to establish patterns of microbiological responses that allow to differentiate the study sites in two relief types. Mycorrhizal characteristics (spore density, external hyphae and root colonizations by hyphae, vesicles and arbuscules), physical and chemical factors in soil and environmental factors were measured. The effect of physical, chemical and environmental factors on microbiological variables was related to the type of relief 'valley and hilly terrain'; the AMF behaviour was affected only over narrower ranges of evaluated variables. Similarly, the colonization of B. decumbens roots by AMF hyphae, vesicles and the mycorrhizal spore density follow different patterns according to the relief type. The type of relief is one of the factors to be taken into consideration to evaluate the AMF inoculum and root colonization of these pastures, because of the influence of slope - as physical property of soil - on AMF.

Effect of liming and fertilizer on mineral content and productivity of Brachiaria Decumbens grass forage

fertilized plots, four to five times a year. Experimental design was a random block (100 m 2 ), with 6 replications and 4 treatments. Each block received 4 t/ha of limestone, except the control. Forage samples were collected 14 cm above soil surface. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) followed by gamma -ray spectrometry was the analytical method used to determine the mineral contents. Dry matter yield was affected positive ly with liming when compared with the limestone control, but the effect of limestone use was more pronounced with the concomitant use of NK fertilizer. The contents of Ca, Cs, Fe, La, Mg, Rb, Sc, Sm and Th in forage were negatively affected with the NK use , perhaps due to a dilution effect, while a reverse were observed for K, Cl, perhaps due to input of KCl, besides Br, Mn and Se. It seems that limestone is not a key input to restore degraded tropical pastureland, grown on acid soils, when nitrogen is lack ing. INAA allowed the monitoring of some not routine elements that may be under observation to avoid potential plant nutritional disorders in production systems with high limestone and fertilizer use.

Dinâmica da calagem superficial em um latossolo vermelho distrófico

As alterações químicas do solo após a calagem superficial variam de acordo com o tempo e precipitações pluviais. Com o objetivo de avaliar as alterações das características químicas de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico textura média de camada superficial arenosa, foi instalado um experimento em blocos ao acaso, com quatro doses de calcário dolomítico (0; 2,4; 4,8 e 7,2 t ha-1) e três repetições, em 1999, no município de Alto Paraná, região noroeste do Paraná. O calcário foi distribuído sobre resíduos de Brachiaria decumbens nas entrelinhas de um pomar de laranja em formação. As parcelas experimentais foram constituídas de 310 m², compostas por 15 plantas em três linhas com cinco plantas cada. As amostras de solo foram coletadas nas entrelinhas das três plantas centrais da parcela nas camadas de 0-0,05, 0,05-0,10, 0,10-0,20, 0,20-0,40 e 0,40-0,60 m de profundidade, aos 4, 12, 18, 24, 31 e 37 meses após a distribuição do calcário, correspondendo alternadamente às épocas de amostragens de solo em períodos de alta e baixa precipitação pluvial. As análises de variância foram efetuadas por meio do modelo matemático de blocos ao acaso no esquema de parcela subsubdividida com medidas repetidas no tempo (ano, época do ano em função da precipitação pluvial e doses de calcário), utilizadas nas análises de regressões pela técnica dos polinômios ortogonais. Os resultados mostraram que a máxima alteração das características químicas do solo foi obtida a partir de doses de calcário superiores ao dobro da necessidade de calcário, convencionalmente determinada pelo método de saturação por bases para elevá-la a 70 %, na profundidade de 0,20 m. A amostragem de solo após o período de maior precipitação pluvial foi indispensável ao ajuste dos dados da saturação por bases na camada de 0-0,05 m. As alterações dos teores de Ca2+ limitaram-se à camada de 0-0,10 m, enquanto os teores de Mg2+ aumentaram progressivamente do primeiro ao terceiro ano a 0-0,60 m de profundidade. Os teores de Mg2+ mantiveram-se associados à correção da acidez do solo (pH e H + Al) e à elevação dos valores de saturação por bases na profundidade de 0,10-0,20 m, na qual foi constatada a menor relação de Ca2+/Mg2+ (1,06). A máxima resposta da calagem superficial ocorreu no terceiro ano da aplicação da calagem superficial e na camada de 0-0,10 m identificada pelos modelos de regressão quadrática, momento em que se identificou o estabelecimento de uma frente de alcalinização na camada de 0,10-0,20 m por meio dos modelos de regressão linear. O método empregado de parcelas subsubdivididas no tempo permitiu a descrição da dinâmica da calagem no perfil do solo.

Poder infestante de larvas de Boophilus microplus(acari:ixodidae) em pastagem de Melinis minutiflora, Brachiaria decumbens e Brachiaria mutica

O experimento foi realizado na Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais, para estimar o poder infestante de larvas de Boophilus microplus nos três principais ecossistemas para o desenvolvimento e sobrevivência do carrapato dos bovinos na região: a) composto por pastagem de Melinis minutiflora em área de alto de morro e meia-encosta; b) composto por pastagem de Brachiaria decumbens em alto de morro e meia-encosta, em substituição ao M. minutiflora; c) composto por pastagem de Brachiaria mutica em área de várzea. Parcelas de cada gramínea (18m² ) foram infestadas mensalmente com, aproximada- mente, 200 larvas/m² no dia zero, e pastejadas por dois bezerros por 16 horas nos dias 7, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 e 90 após a infestação. O poder ïnfestante das larvas foi estimado pelo número de teleóginas recuperadas dos bezerros, multiplicado por dois. Foi necessário um período mínimo de vedação ou descanso da pastagem, de 60 dias em média, para reduzir significativamente a população de larvas, e permitir que essa pratica seja utilizada como auxílio no controle integrado do carrapato dos bovinos na região, considerando-se apenas o poder infestante das larvas.

Morphology and development of Anaplasma marginale in midgut of engorged female ticks of Boophilus microplus

Morphology and development of Anaplasma marginale were studied in midgut epithelial cells of adult Boophilus microplus females using light and transmission electron microscopy. Hemoparasite-free B. microplus larvae were used to infest Holstein calves experimentally inoculated with A. marginale. When A. marginale parasitemia varied from 0.4% to 4.3%, 140 engorged female ticks were collected and kept individually in steel wire tubes and incubated outdoors on Brachiaria decumbens grass pasture. Female ticks in groups of 20 were dissected 14, 19, 26, 33, 40, 47 and 50 days after detachment. Engorged female ticks collected from and A. marginale-free calf were kept under the same conditions as control ticks. Gut sections of infected and control ticks were processed using light and electron microscopy. Infected gut sections were processed by the immunocytochemical peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. Under light microscopy A. marginale colonies were found in midgut epithelial cells of engorged B. microplus females from 19 days on after detachment from donor calves. Colonies were 6.1–10.3 μm in diameter, avoid or irregular and contained round or shaped organisms. Two distinct morphological types of colonies (BM1 and BM2) were found. BM1 colonies had a dense matrix strongly stained in which organisms were barely visible; BM2 had large separated organisms densely stained inside a matrix which was lightly stained. A. marginale colonies immunocytochemically stained were found in gut tissue sections using light microscopy. Using transmission electron microscopy organisms of different morphologies were found in midgut epithelial cells of engorged females, suggesting sequential phases of development of A. marginale in the vector. Modifications in size and shape occurred in colonies and in the organisms within them. No symbiotic rickettsiae were found in intestinal cells of control ticks.