INSTALLATION OF FORAGE SPECIES AS A FUNCTION OF SOIL DEPTH AND CONTACT WITH NPK FERTILIZER FORMULATION

Abstract

The sowing association of grass forages and grain producing species increases the soil occupation efficiency and makes possible the crop-livestock rotation. However, limitations do exist, such as sowing the seeds of forage species in unfavorable conditions of germination and emergence. The objective of this research is the evaluation of the emergence and production of Brachiaria brizantha, cultivar MG-5 fitomass, as a function of manuring and sowing depth. Seeds were deposited in soil columns submitted to the absence and presence of manure, equivalent to 300 kg ha-1 of the formulation 08-28-16, in four depths (0. 0 cm; 2.5 cm; 5.0 cm; and 10.0 cm), in a complete blocks design, with four replications, in the 2 x 4 factorial scheme. The maximum emergence of B. brizantha cv. MG-5 was observed when sowing at 2.5 cm depth in the soil. The surface sowing of B. brizantha is not the most appropriate. However, if necessary, seeds should not be mixed with fertilizer. The mixture of fertilizer and seeds harmed the B. brizantha establishment. However, surviving individuals overcame the negative fertilizer effect through higher mass yielding.

KEY-WORDS: Grass forage; saline effect; crop-livestock rotation.