Plant diversity impacts forage mass of pastures established after soybean harvest in integrated crop-livestock system

Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar se a produtividade do capim-paiaguas (Urochloa brizantha cv. Paiaguas) é suprimida em sistemas com múltiplas espécies forrageiras estabelecidas após a colheita da soja e, identificar se a espécie utilizada em pastagem mista melhora a massa de forragem total e a morfologia e composição bromatológica. Os tratamentos consistiram de diversidade de espécies: sem diversidade (capim-paiaguas em monocultivo), baixa diversidade (capim-paiaguas com Vigna unguiculata), média diversidade (capim-paiaguas com Vigna unguiculata e Guizotia abyssinica) e alta diversidade (capim-paiaguas com Vigna unguiculata, Fagopyrum esculentum, Raphanus sativus e Stylosanthes capitata e Stylosanthes macrocephala). As pastagens foram estabelecidas em março, em sucessão à soja, e avaliadas em junho. Não houve redução na massa de forragem com o aumento da diversidade, porém, houve redução na participação do capim-paiaguas na massa de forragem, sem alterar a composição morfológica. O aumento da diversidade de espécies reduziu os teores de cinzas e proteína bruta. Assim, o capim-paiaguas é suprimido devido ao aumento de espécies na pastagem mista, sem alteração da composição morfológica, mas com alteração da composição bromatológica.Pasture with multiple species is an option for integrated systems, but it is important that competition between forages does not interfere with the productivity of the pasture and, mainly, of the main grass. Therefore, this study aimed to verify if the Paiaguas palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. Paiaguas) yield is suppressed in systems with multiple forage species established after soybean harvest and, identify if the species used in mixed pasture improves the total forage mass and, grass morphological and bromatological composition. Treatments consisted of species diversity: no diversity (Paiaguas palisade grass in monoculture), low diversity (Paiaguas palisade grass with Vigna unguiculata), medium diversity (Paiaguas palisade grass with Vigna unguiculata and Guizotia abyssinica), and high diversity (Paiaguas palisade grass with Vigna unguiculata, Fagopyrum esculentum, Raphanus sativus, and Stylosanthes capitata e Stylosanthes macrocephala). Pastures were established in March, in succession to soybean, and evaluated in June. There was no reduction in forage mass with increasing diversity, however, there was a reduction in the participation of Paiaguas palisade grass in the forage mass, without changing the morphological composition. The increase in species diversity reduced ash and crude protein levels. The increase in plant diversity in the system does not reduce the total available forage mass, however, it considerably reduces the Paiaguas palisade grass participation in the system, with no morphological change in the grass. The increase in diversity reduced the nutritional quality of the pasture, as there was a reduction in the crude protein content and an increase in neutral detergent fiber

Influence of soil bulk density on shoot and root traits of crotalaria

The selection of cover crop species with high potential for root growth in dense layers of soil can help in the management of agricultural systems through biological soil unpacking. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of crotalaria species (Crotalaria juncea, C. spectabilis and C. ochroleuca) as unpacking agents, in a dystrophic Oxisol under different bulk densities (1.0 Mg m-3, 1.2 Mg m-3, 1.4 Mg m-3, 1.6 Mg m-3 and 1.8 Mg m-3). All species showed reduction in the growth of shoots and roots, when cultivated in soil with bulk density higher than 1.4 Mg m-3. Crotalaria juncea showed the best results for shoot and root biomass production with bulk density up to 1.4 Mg m-3. The root growth of plants is higher in layers above and below the compacted layer

Calcium and magnesium released from residues in an integrated crop-livestock system under different grazing intensities

Under integrated crop-livestock production systems (ICLS), plant and animal residues are important nutrient stocks for plant growth. Grazing management, by affecting the numbers of both plants and animals and the quality of residues, will influence nutrient release rates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of grazing intensity on Ca and Mg release from pasture, dung, and soybean residues in a long-term no-till integrated soybean-cattle system. The experiment was established in May 2001 in a Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico (Rhodic Hapludox). Treatments were a gradient of grazing intensity, determined by managing a black oat + Italian ryegrass pasture at 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm grazing height and no-grazing (NG), followed by soybean cropping. Ca and Mg release rates were determined in two entire cycles (2009/11). Moderate grazing (20 and 30 cm sward height) led to greater Ca and Mg release rates from pasture and dung residues, with low average half-life values (13 and 3 days for Ca and 16 and 6 days for Mg for pasture and dung, respectively). Grazing compared with NG resulted in greater Ca and Mg release from pasture and dung residues. Grazing intensity did not affect Ca and Mg release rates or amounts from soybean residues, but Ca and Mg release rates were greater from soybean leaves than from stems. Although moderate grazing intensities produce higher quality residues and higher calcium and magnesium release rates, a higher total nutrient amount is released by light grazing intensity and no-grazing, determined by higher residue production. Grazing intensity is, then, important for nutrient dynamics in the soil-plant-animal continuum

Qualidade do solo e produtividade de soja em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária em plantio direto

The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of the soil and its relation with soybean (Glycine max) yield in an integrated crop-livestock system (ICLS), with intercropping between grasses and legumes in the pasture phase. The experiment was carried out in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, on a dystrophic Oxisol, in which grasses (Megathyrsus maximus 'BRS Tamani' and Urochloa brizantha 'BRS Piatã'), intercropped with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata 'BRS Tumucumaque') and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan 'BRS Mandarim'), were cultivated after soybean harvest. A randomized complete block design was used, with three replicates, in a split-plot arrangement, in which grasses were considered as plots, and legumes as subplots. Legume intercrops provided increases of C and total N stocks. The intercrops caused the increase of C and N of the microbial biomass, whereas the single cultures contributed to stress in the soil microbiota. The activity of the urease enzyme was sensitive to management changes in the short term, but acid phosphatase and β-glucosidase were poorly sensitive indicators. Soil quality is high with intercropping between grasses and legumes, with positive effects on soybean grain yield.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade do solo e sua relação com a produtividade de soja (Glycine max) em sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária (ILP), com consórcio entre gramíneas e leguminosas na fase pastagem. O experimento foi realizado no Estado de Mato Grosso, em um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, em que gramíneas (Megathyrsus maximus 'BRS Tamani' e Urochloa brizantha 'BRS Piatã'), consorciadas com feijão-caupi (Vigna unguiculata 'BRS Tumucumaque') e feijão-guandu (Cajanus cajan 'BRS Mandarim'), foram cultivadas após a colheita da soja. Um delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso foi utilizado com três repetições, em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas, em que as gramíneas foram consideradas como parcelas, e as leguminosas, como subparcelas. Os consórcios com leguminosas proporcionaram incrementos dos estoques de C e N total. Os consórcios causaram o aumento de C e N da biomassa microbiana, enquanto os cultivos solteiros contribuíram para o estresse da microbiota do solo. A atividade da enzima urease foi sensível às alterações de manejo em curto prazo, porém a fosfatase ácida e a β-glucosidase foram indicadores pouco sensíveis. A qualidade do solo é elevada com os consórcios entre gramíneas e leguminosas, com efeitos positivos sobre a produtividade de grãos de soja

Spatial and temporal distribuition of dung and soybean yield in integrated soybean-beef cattle system

O presente trabalho foi conduzido na região do Planalto Médio, RS, em protocolo experimental de longa duração, entre julho de 2010 e abril de 2011, constituído por dois experimentos. No experimento 1 foram realizadas amostragens das placas de esterco, em intervalos médios de 20 dias, em cada tratamento de altura de manejo do pasto (10, 20, 30 e 40 cm). Totalizaram-se seis avaliações ao longo do ciclo de pastejo, onde foram marcadas todas as placas de esterco do período. O número de placas por animal por dia, a área média e o peso das placas de esterco não diferiram entre os tratamentos. Áreas de Thiessen foram criadas para a análise geoestatística dos dados, para detectar o padrão da distribuição. Os bovinos depositaram suas placas de esterco em locais diferentes a cada período, não havendo um padrão de distribuição temporal. Considerando todas as amostragens verificou-se a existência de padrão na distribuição espacial das placas de esterco em relação aos pontos atrativos, independentemente do manejo de altura do pasto. No experimento 2 o delineamento experimental foi em arranjo fatorial 2x4, sendo dois tratamentos de presença de placas de esterco (com e sem) e quatro alturas de manejo do pasto. Para todas as variáveis analisadas, não houve interação entre as alturas de manejo do pasto e áreas com e sem presença de placas. Em áreas com presença de placas de esterco os teores de fósforo e potássio disponíveis no solo, assim como o componente do rendimento número de legumes por planta foram significativamente maiores, aumentando significativamente o rendimento de grãos da soja em relação às áreas sem placas. A presença dos animais no sistema de integração soja-bovinos de corte e, consequentemente, de suas placas de esterco aumentou a disponibilidade dos nutrientes fósforo e potássio nestes locais. Assim, afetou o teor destes nutrientes na planta, favorecendo a formação de maior número de legumes por planta e o rendimento de grãos da cultura da soja implantada em sucessão a pastagem.This study was conducted at Planalto Médio region, RS, in the experimental protocol of long duration, between July 2010 and April 2011, consisting of two experiments. In Experiment 1 it was realized samples of dung, in intervals of 20 days in each treatment of sward height (10, 20, 30 and 40 cm). Six evaluations were amounted from that period have been marked over the grazing cycle, where all dung did not vary between the treatments. The number of dung per animal per day, the average size and weight of the dung not different among treatments. Thiessen areas were created for the geostatistical analysis of the data to detect the pattern of distribution. The cattle deposited their dung in different places every time, without a pattern of temporal distribution. Considering all samples it was verified the existence of a pattern in spatial distribution of dung in relation to the attractions points, independently of the management of the sward height. In experiment 2, the experimental design was a 2x4 factorial arrangement, with being two treatments of presence of dung (with and without) and four different sward heights. For all variables analyzed, there was no interaction between sward heights and areas with and without dung. In areas with dung the levels of available phosphorus and potassium in the soil, as well as the yield component number of pods per plant were significantly higher, significantly increasing the grain yield of soybean in relation to areas without dung. The presence of animals in the integrated soybean-beef cattle system and consequently their dung increased the availability of nutrients, phosphorus and potassium in these locations. Thus, affected the content of these nutrients in the plant, favoring the development of the number of pods per plant and grain yield of soybean

Calcium and magnesium released from residues in an integrated crop-livestock system under different grazing intensities

Under integrated crop-livestock production systems (ICLS), plant and animal residues are important nutrient stocks for plant growth. Grazing management, by affecting the numbers of both plants and animals and the quality of residues, will influence nutrient release rates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of grazing intensity on Ca and Mg release from pasture, dung, and soybean residues in a long-term no-till integrated soybean-cattle system. The experiment was established in May 2001 in a Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico (Rhodic Hapludox). Treatments were a gradient of grazing intensity, determined by managing a black oat + Italian ryegrass pasture at 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm grazing height and no-grazing (NG), followed by soybean cropping. Ca and Mg release rates were determined in two entire cycles (2009/11). Moderate grazing (20 and 30 cm sward height) led to greater Ca and Mg release rates from pasture and dung residues, with low average half-life values (13 and 3 days for Ca and 16 and 6 days for Mg for pasture and dung, respectively). Grazing compared with NG resulted in greater Ca and Mg release from pasture and dung residues. Grazing intensity did not affect Ca and Mg release rates or amounts from soybean residues, but Ca and Mg release rates were greater from soybean leaves than from stems. Although moderate grazing intensities produce higher quality residues and higher calcium and magnesium release rates, a higher total nutrient amount is released by light grazing intensity and no-grazing, determined by higher residue production. Grazing intensity is, then, important for nutrient dynamics in the soil-plant-animal continuum