Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on Production, Chemical Composition and Morphogenesis of Guinea Grass in the Humid Tropics
Joelma K. S. de Oliveira,
Darlena C. da C. Corrêa,
Antônio M. Q. Cunha,
Aníbal C. do Rêgo,
Cristian Faturi,
Wilton L. da Silva,
Felipe N. Domingues
Affiliations
Joelma K. S. de Oliveira
Instituto de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida dos Universitários, s/n, Bairro Jaderlândia, Castanhal, PA CEP: 68746-360, Brazil
Darlena C. da C. Corrêa
Instituto de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida dos Universitários, s/n, Bairro Jaderlândia, Castanhal, PA CEP: 68746-360, Brazil
Antônio M. Q. Cunha
Instituto de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pará, Avenida dos Universitários, s/n, Bairro Jaderlândia, Castanhal, PA CEP: 68746-360, Brazil
Aníbal C. do Rêgo
Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Avenida Presidente Tancredo Neves, n° 2501, Bairro Terra Firme, Belém, PA CEP: 66077-830, Brazil
Cristian Faturi
Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Avenida Presidente Tancredo Neves, n° 2501, Bairro Terra Firme, Belém, PA CEP: 66077-830, Brazil
Wilton L. da Silva
Departamento de Zootecnia, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Avenida Esperança, s/n, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO CEP: 74690-900, Brazil
Felipe N. Domingues
Instituto da Saúde e Produção Animal, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Avenida Presidente Tancredo Neves, n° 2501, Bairro Terra Firme, Belém, PA CEP: 66077-830, Brazil
The use of nitrogen fertilization in tropical grasslands is a strategy that may reduce the pressure of livestock production on biome areas with humid forests. The objective of this study was to assess the use of different doses of nitrogen in Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) con. Mombasa) cultivated in the humid tropics. Doses of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 kg of N ha−1 application−1 were applied during two consecutive years in experimental plots. The experimental area is located in the northeast of Pará, Brazil, with a predominantly tropical climate according to the Köppen classification. The morphogenic, production, and qualitative characteristics of the forage were evaluated. The morphogenic variables, rate of leaf appearance and rate of leaf elongation, in addition to daily accumulation of forage and crude protein content, increased with increasing doses of nitrogen. The morphological structure of the pasture was not modified. The number of cuts increased, whereas the number of days of recovery decreased, in the rainy season with increasing doses of nitrogen. The use of nitrogen fertilization does not alter the structure of the pasture; however, it improves the morphogenic, production, and chemical characteristics of Guinea grass.
