E. Borghi

Influência da distribuição espacial do milho e da Brachiaria brizantha consorciados sobre a população de plantas daninhas em sistema plantio direto na palha

O cultivo consorciado de milho com forrageiras tropicais no sistema plantio direto na palha pode diminuir a incidencia de plantas daninhas em decorrencia da elevada producao de fitomassa e da alelopatia proporcionada pela deposicao superficial de palha no solo. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a influencia da distribuicao espacial da cultura do milho com Brachiaria brizantha, cultivados em consorcio no sistema plantio direto na palha, sobre a populacao de plantas daninhas. O experimento foi instalado em condicoes de campo, nos anos agricolas 2002/03 e 2003/04, na Fazenda Experimental Lageado, em Botucatu-SP. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial simples 2 x 4, com quatro repeticoes. Os tratamentos foram dois espacamentos entre linhas de milho (E1-45 cm e E2- 90 cm) e quatro modalidades de cultivo (MCS - cultivo do milho solteiro; MBL - cultivo do milho com B. brizantha na linha de semeadura; BEM - cultivo do milho com B. brizantha na entrelinha; e MBLE - cultivo do milho com B. brizantha simultaneamente na linha e na entrelinha). Foram avaliados a produtividade de materia seca da forrageira, a caracterizacao fitossociologica, a incidencia e o controle de plantas daninhas. O cultivo MBLE a 90 cm foi a modalidade de consorciacao que proporcionou maior producao de palhada. A presenca de B. brizantha em cultivo consorciado diminuiu a densidade de plantas daninhas. A utilizacao do cultivo consorciado do milho com B. brizantha na linha+entrelinha proporcionou indice de controle de 95%, independentemente do espacamento utilizado.

Effects of row spacing and intercrop on maize grain yield and forage production of palisade grass

Abstract. Intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) with perennial forage, such as palisade grass [Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich) Stapf], provides large amounts of biomass that can be used as straw for no-tillage systems or as pasture for animal grazing. In addition, the use of narrow row spacing may increase maize grain yield. However, it is important to evaluate intercrops at different row spacing to avoid reductions in both maize and forage biomass production. The objectives of this field experiment during two growing seasons in Brazil were as follows: (1) to evaluate the influence of intercropping and row spacing on maize yield, leaf nutrient concentration, and plant population and development; and (2) to assess the influence of row spacing on palisade grass herbage mass and leaf nutrient concentration. The experimental design was a randomised complete block design in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, with eight replications. The treatments comprised two row spacing distances (0.45 and 0.90 m) and two crop management types (maize monoculture and intercropped with palisade grass). The nutrient concentrations in the leaves of the maize plants were in the ideal range for this crop under all conditions studied. Plant height, height of first ear, and number of grains per ear were higher with the narrow row spacing. Maize grain yield was similar in both crop management types (10 301 and 9745 kg ha–1 for monoculture maize and intercropped, respectively). However, maize grain yield at the narrow row spacing was higher than that obtained with the wide row spacing (9948 v. 8905 kg ha–1). In contrast, row spacing did not affect the nutrient level or quality (crude protein concentration) of palisade grass. The amount of dry matter (DM) from palisade grass was lower at maize harvesting (4.7 Mg ha–1) and 90 days after harvesting (6.9 Mg ha–1) under narrow spacing. However, the amount of DM was similar at both row spacings at 120 days after maize harvesting (9.2 Mg ha–1). When there is no problem with water and nutrient availability, the use of maize and palisade grass intercropping under both row spacing conditions (0.45 and 0.90 m) provides an option for the production of forage DM without reducing the maize grain yield.

Adubação nitrogenada de sorgo granífero consorciado com capim em sistema de plantio direto

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization management on single and intercropped sorghum with Marandu and Mombaca grasses, and to determine the forage dry weight yield in the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005, in a no-tillage system. The experimental design was in randomized block, in a 3x5 factorial arrangement, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of three sorghum cropping systems (single and intercropped with Marandu and Mombaca grasses in the rows) and five nitrogen fertilizer managements: 30-70; 70-30; 50-50; 100-0; and 0-100 kg ha-1 of N, applied at sowing and topdressing, respectively. Intercropping did not affect sorghum nutrition nor grain yield. Only in the first growth season, the 50-50 kg ha-1 of N splitting increased grain yield. Straw management interfered in sorghum establishment during the second growth season and decreased grain yield. The highest rates of N topdressing increased forage dry weight yield of Marandu grass and, applied at sowing, N highest rates increased this attribute in Mombaca grass.

Nutrição e produtividade de híbridos de sorgo granífero de ciclos contrastantes consorciados com capim-marandu

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the intercropping with Marandu grass on the nutrition and yield of sorghum hybrids with contrasting-cycle, in no-tillage system. It was used a randomized block experimental design in a factorial arrangement (2x2), with six replicates. The treatments consisted of two sorghum hybrids with contrasting cycles (P8118, medium cycle; and P8419, early cycle) and two crop systems (single and intercropped with Marandu grass in the seed row), with the seeding done in the early December. Nutrition, agronomic traits, production components, and dry matter and grain yields of the sorghum hybrids were evaluated. Except for potassium and sulphur, the leaf contents of the other nutrients were appropriate in all treatments for sorghum cropping. The hybrid P8118 had the highest grain yield and, after the intercropping, it contributed for the highest forage dry matter yield of Marandu grass in the cut performed in October. The intercropping of contrasting-cycle sorghum hybrids and Marandu grass does not affect sorghum nutrition, and dry matter and grain yields, in comparison with the single cropping, irrespectively of the hybrid cycle.

Épocas de aplicação de nitrogênio em feijoeiro cultivado após milho solteiro ou consorciado com braquiária

The objective of this work was to evaluate the common bean response to N application timing, under no-tillage system, after single corn or intercropped with palisade grass. A randomized complete block experimental design was used in a split-plot arrangement, with four replicates. Plots consisted of: single corn crop or corn intercropped with palisade grass, in two summer cropping seasons precedent to common bean sowing. Subplots consisted of: 100 kg ha-1 N application in three times - before sowing, at sowing, and at side-dressing - and a control treatment without N application. Nitrogen fertilization on common bean increased leaf-N content, the number of pods per plant, and grain yield (33% in the average application timing), only in the cropping after single corn. By providing large mass production and by N cycling, the cultivation of palisade grass intercropped with corn reduced N requirement of common bean in succession, in comparison to previous sole corn cultivation. Early N application before or during common bean sowing time provides grain yield similar to the observed one in the side-dressing application.

Interferência de Brachiaria plantaginea com a cultura do arroz, cv. Primavera

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of interference of Brachiaria plantaginea at different densities and control periods in rice yield components and grain yield. The experiment was conducted in Santo Antonio de Posse-SP, Brazil, in a completely randomized block design, with six replications, in a 7 x 4 factorial. Treatments consisted of seven control periods, expressed in days after B. plantaginea emergence (DAE): Control - 0 DAE; 7 DAE, 14 DAE; 21 DAE; 28 DAE, 35 DAE, and without weed control, combined with four weed densities: 1, 5, 25 and 90 plants m-2. B. plantaginea dry matter and rice yield components and grain yield were evaluated. Dry matter production of B. plantaginea increased significantly as the control period was delayed, at all weed densities. Increasing control periods and weed densities decreased rice yield components and, consequently, grain yield. Amongst other factors, the interference of B. plantaginea in rice depends on its density and period of coexistence.