RESUMO -Neste trabalho objetivou-se avaliar a influência de espécies em consórcio com azevém sobre a composição botânica e estrutural e o valor nutritivo dos pastos em um sistema de transição agroecológica. Foi avaliada a cultura do azevém (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) consorciada com aveia-preta (Avena strigosa Schreb.), trevo-branco (Trifolium repens L.) e amendoim-forrageiro (Arachis pintoi Krapov. & Gregory). O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos e três repetições. O primeiro pastejo foi realizado 21 dias após a emergência das plantas nas pastagens de azevém + aveia-preta e azevém + amendoim-forrageiro e 28 dias após a emergência na pastagem de azevém + trevo-branco.O segundo pastejo na pastagem de azevém + aveia-preta ocorreu 30 dias após o primeiro pastejo, enquanto nas demais pastagens ocorreu 37 dias depois. As taxas de acúmulo de matéria seca (MS) do início do período de exclusão até o pico de produção de MS foram de 77,7; 75,0 e 71,3 kg/ha/dia de MS para as pastagens consorciadas com trevo-branco, amendoim-forrageiro e aveiapreta, respectivamente. A razão folha/colmo até o segundo pastejo foi elevada em todas as pastagens. A redução dos teores de PB conforme os dias de exclusão no pasto de azevém + aveia-preta é menor que nos pastos de azevém consorciado com trevo-branco ou amendoim-forrageiro.Palavras-chave: amendoim-forrageiro, aveia, digestibilidade, fibra em detergente neutro, leguminosa, trevo-branco Botanic and structural composition and nutritional value on intercropped ryegrass pasturesABSTRACT -The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of species intercropped with ryegrass on the botanical and structural composition and the nutritional values of pastures in an agroecological transition system. It was evaluated ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) intercropped with black oats (Avena strigosa Schreb.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and forage peanut (Arachis pintoi Krapov. & Gregory). It was used a complete random design with three treatments and three repetitions. The first grazing was done 21 days after emergence of the plants on the pastures with ryegrass and black oats and ryegrass and forage peanuts and 28 days after emergence on the pasture of ryegrass + white clover. The second grazing, on the pasture with ryegras + black oats, occurred 30 days after the first one, whereas on the other pastures, grazing occurred 37 days later. The rates of dry matter (DM) accumulation, from the beginning of period of exclusion until maximal production of dry matter were: 77.7; 75.0 and 71.3 kg/ha/day of DM for the pastures intercropped with white clover, forage peanut and black cover, respectively. Leaf/culm ratio until second grazing, was high on all pastures. Reduction on contents of crude protein according to exclusion days on ryegrass + black oat pasture is lower than on pastures of ryegrass intercropped with white clover or forage peanut.

azevém e trevo-branco (Trifolium repens L., cv. Yi); azevém e trevo branco; e azevém. O experimento foi realizado no período entre 15 de maio e 24 de outubro de 2006, quando foram realizados cinco ciclos de pastejo. Utilizaram-se vacas da raça Holandesa recebendo concentrado (3,5 kg/dia) como suplemento alimentar. Nos períodos pré e pós-pastejo, foram avaliadas a massa de forragem, as composições botânica e estrutural da pastagem e a carga animal. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos (pastagens), duas repetições (piquetes) e cinco períodos de avaliação (pastejos). Não foram detectadas diferenças entre pastagens para as médias de massa de forragem e carga animal. As pastagens exclusivamente de azevém tiveram maiores produções de lâminas foliares de azevém. As pastagens sobressemeadas apresentaram maior produção de forragem. A sobressemeadura do azevém e do trevo-branco em Coastcross permite estender o período de utilização da pastagem anual e aumenta a produção de forragem.Palavras-chave: bovinos leiteiros, carga animal, composição estrutural, pastagens de inverno, pastagens mistas concentrate feed were used in the evaluation. In the pre and post grazing periods, the forage mass, botanical and structural pasture composition and the stocking rate were assessed. A randomized complete design was used, with four treatments (pastures) and two replications (paddocks), in five grazing cycles. No differences in herbage mass and stocking rate averages were detected among pastures. The ryegrass pastures had larger ryegrass leaf blade herbage mass production. The overseeded pastures had larger forage production. Overseeding with ryegrass and white clover on Coastcross extend the use period of annual grass and increase forage production.

-The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Azospirillum brasilense inoculation and different nitrogen (N) rates applied as topdressing on the productivity of a maize crop and the nutritional value of maize silage. Two experiments were conducted in the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 harvests. Treatments were distributed in a randomized block design in a factorial arrangement, which consisted of two maize hybrids (AS 1572 and Defender) coupled with nitrogen rates (0, 60, 120, 240, and 480 kg ha

-It was evaluated in this work, crop yield, fermentative quality and nutritional value of the silage of cultivars of white (Avena Sativa L.) and black (Avena Strigosa Schreb) oats cut at two development stages. It was used an experimental randomized block design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, consisting of four oat cultivars (two cultivars of black oats: Aveia Preta Comum and UTFP 971; and two cultivars of white oats: ER 91156-1-2-1 and SI 98105-b), with four replicates. The cultivars were ensiled at flowering and dough grain stages. Oat cut at dough grain stage, especially genotypes from white oat, allows the obtainment of a more productive and qualitative silage. Cultivar, genotype, and maturation stage affect protein fractioning and oat silage carbohydrates.

RESUMO. Objetivou-se com o trabalho avaliar a produtividade de cinco híbridos de sorgo forrageiro e cinco híbridos de sorgo duplo propósito, bem como caracterizar os parâmetros fermentativos e nutricionais das silagens confeccionadas a partir desses materiais. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições por tratamento. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias dos híbridos, submetidas ao estudo de contrastes ortogonais, sorgo forrageiro "versus" sorgo duplo propósito. Todos os híbridos apresentam condições de ensilagem por meio da avaliação dos parâmetros fermentativos. As silagens elaboradas a partir de sorgo forrageiro apresentam menor teor de MS (33,01%) e pH (3,86), contra 38,32% de MS e 3,97 de pH das silagens de sorgo duplo propósito. Silagens de sorgo forrageiro e sorgo duplo propósito apresentam valor nutricional semelhantes, porém, as silagens de sorgo duplo propósito apresentam maior teor de CEL (25,30%) e K (1,16%). Os híbridos de sorgo forrageiro produziram em média 17.527 kg ha -1 de MS, superior à produtividade média dos híbridos de sorgo duplo propósito de 13.006 kg ha -1 de MS.Palavras-chave: digestibilidade, fibra em detergente neutro, minerais, nitrogênio amoniacal, pH, proteína bruta. ABSTRACT. Production, fermentation and nutritional characteristics of forage and double purpose sorghum silages.This work was set out to evaluate productivity, nutritional and fermentation characteristics of different sorghum cultivar silages. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replications. The results were submitted to ANOVA and mean values of each cultivar were used for an orthogonal contrasts study (forage sorghum vs. double purpose sorghum silages). Results of fermentative characteristics showed that all cultivars presented potential for ensilage. Double purpose sorghum silages showed higher (p < 0.05) dry matter content (38.32%) when compared to forage sorghum silage (33.01%), as well as for pH values. Likewise, double purpose sorghum silages showed significant, increased levels of CEL (25.30%) and K (1.16%). Forage sorghum cultivars showed higher (p < 0.05) productivity (17527 kg ha -1 of dry matter) when compared to double purpose sorghum productivity (13006 kg ha -1 of dry matter).

Biological nitrogen fixation and plant hormone synthesis promoted by Azospirillum spp. bacteria play a role in enhancing crop productivity and reducing losses. This may constitute a strategy to enhance crop productivity and reducing losses, thereby increasing nitrogen fertilization efficiency. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of Azospirillum brasilense Ab-V5 and Ab-V6 strain inoculation and nitrogen fertilization on the agronomic characteristics and productivity of two maize hybrids (Zea mays L.) AS 1572 and AG 9030. Experiments were carried out at Santa Maria, RS, Brazil in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 growing seasons using a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement to distribute two maize hybrids, inoculated, or not, with Azospirillum brasilense, and five nitrogen doses (0, 60, 120, 240, and 480 kg ha−1). Kernel yield, mass, and dimensions, as well as kernel number on the cobs, stalk diameter, plant height, ear insertion height, prolificacy, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and their correlations were measured. Compared to uninoculated plants, higher kernel yield (p < 0.05) was observed for AS 1572 hybrid when inoculated with A. brasilense, with an increase of 0.978 Mg ha−1 or 10.95%. This effect was primarily due to the higher NUE rate and the increase (p < 0.05) in the number of kernels per cob. The AG 9030 hybrid showed no response to inoculation. A. brasilense inoculation increased the NUE rate of the AS 1572 hybrid in the condition N zero dose at N 60 kg ha−1 dose. Nitrogen fertilization increased crop productivity, notably by raising kernel mass and other productivity components, but reduced the NUE rate. The maximum technical efficiency obtained for the AS 1572 hybrid was of 10.705 Mg ha−1 with a N dose of 342 kg ha−1, whereas the AG 9030 hybrid produced a maximum grain yield of 10.089 Mg ha−1 with a dose of 350 kg ha−1 of N. We conclude that the inoculation with A. brasilense increases NUE, maize grain yield, and agronomic characteristic in the AS 1572 hybrid.

-This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of the row spacing between corn plants on silage quality. Different spacing between corn rows (40, 60, and 80 cm) was used, but the population of plants was maintained around 65,000/ha in all treatments. Analysis of variance was carried out and means were compared by Tukey's test at 5% of probability. A reduction in row spacing provided better spatial distribution of plants, but did not alter morphological composition or dry matter production. The corn with most equidistant spatial distribution (lowest row spacing) showed an increase in lignin concentration, neutral detergent fiber, and total carbohydrates, and showed a decrease in total digestible nutrients when compared with 80 cm row spacing. However, the organic digestibility matter was not affected by the treatments. The content and quality of protein were higher for 80 cm row spacing compared with the other levels; also, protein content was reduced as the spacing between rows became smaller. The only mineral affected was calcium, which had the lowest value at higher levels of spacing. Although differences were detected for many variables, the most appropriate spacing between rows should also take into account economic and practical aspects when choosing the best plant arrangement.

The dynamics of nitrogen (N) in ryegrass intercropped with different forage species with regard to dry matter (DM) accumulation within an agroecological transition system was evaluated. Annual ryegrass was intercropped with black oats (RY + BO), white clover (RY + WC) and forage peanut (RY + FP). The experimental design was completely randomized, with three replications. The study applied the N dilution model for plant tissue which comparatively uses modifiable factors of the environment at optimal levels. The model shows decline in N concentration due to the DM accumulation of temperate grass pastures. Data were compared to model by the root mean square deviation analysis. Dilution coefficient (β), used in all pasture samples, was lower than -0.60. Highest N concentration decline in plant tissues, due to DM accumulation, occurred in RY + WC pastures (β = -0.94), followed by RY + FP (β = -0.86) and RY + BO (β = -0.67), respectively. Ryegrass intercropped with white clover showed the highest N content in plant tissue, with a nitrogen nutrition index close to the proposed model.