QUALITIVE AND QUANTITATIVE EFFECTS OF THE ZINC SULPHATE APPLICATION ON TANZÂNIA-1 GRASS

Abstract

The zinc is the most lacking micronutrient in the pasture areas and field crops of the savannah region due to the poor original material of the soil and also due to the little use tradition ofsoluble salts of zinc as fertilizer to the crops. The present experiment was carried out at Embrapa Rice and Beans in a dark red latosol, having as objective to evaluate the effect of the doses 0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 kg ha^-1 of zinc sulphate in the productivity, quality and leaf chemical composition of the Tanzânia-1 grass. The soil was prepared with a heavy grade bar in the beginning of the rainy station. As basic fertilization were applied 20 kg of N, 50 kg of P₂O₅ and 30 kg of K₂O ha^-1 as ammonium sulphate, commercial Yoorin and potassium chloride, respectively. The plant height and number of budding, gross protein, and fiber in neutral detergent and leaf mineral nutrient were determined just after were evaluated at 60 days after germination. Green mass, dry matter, gross the crop. Although no significant, the dose of 20 kg ha^-1 of zinc sulphate influenced qualitative and quantitatively the forage produced.

KEY-WORDS: Pasture; soil; fertility; sudding; dry matter.