DOSES AND SOURCES OF NITROGEN ON MINERAL NUTRITION IN MARANDU GRASS

Abstract

Nitrogen is an one principal among others, essential and responsible nutrient for forage productivity and pasture quality increasing. Besides that, this paper objective was to evaluate nitrogen doses and source effects on nutrient concentration in marandu palisadegrass. The experiment was carried out from July of 2003 to March of 2006 at the Modelo Farm of University Goiás State in an 882 m2 area. The pasture was established for more than ten years and it was presenting low herbage production being considered in moderate degradation phase. The treatment combination was made in a split-plot design with three replicates. Main plot, arrangements in a randomized complete block design was employed, were turned by a 2 x 4 factorial, being two sources of N (ammonium sulfate and urea) and four doses of N (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 yr-1). On each year, during the three years, three cuts evaluating are done at the forage plant. The rates of Nitrogen didn’t come to the maximum point to the concentrates of N, K, Mg, S, Cu and Fe. Increasing N rates promoted reduction in phosphorus absorption in plant tissue. Higher N:S relation were observed in plants which received  urea as nitrogen source. The application of nitrogen, affected the nutritional status of signal grass and the recovery of this. The application of nitrogen, affected the nutritional status of signal grass and it recovering.

KEY WORDS: Ammonium sulfate, Brachiaria brizantha, nutrient absorption, urea.