ABSTRACT:The biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) process in grasses is caused by diazotrophic bacteria, particularly Azospirillum brasilense. However, studies are lacking on BNF efficiency to define how much mineral nitrogen (N) can be applied to achieve more sustainable high yields. Furthermore, there should be an analysis of whether urea with the urease enzyme inhibitor NBPT is less harmful, benefiting BNF in grasses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of N sources and N rates associated with inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense regarding foliar diagnosis and leaf chlorophyll index (LCI), agronomic efficiency (AE), and corn grain yield in the Cerrado (Brazilian tropical savanna) region. The experiment was conducted in a no-tillage system in a Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico (Oxisol). A randomized block experimental design was used with four replications in a 2 × 5 × 2 factorial arrangement as follows: two N sources -urea and Super N, urea with urease enzyme inhibitor NBPT [N -(n-butyl thiophosphoric triamide)]; five N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha -1 ) applied in topdressing; and two seed inoculation treatments, one with and one without A. brasilense. N rate positively influenced the LCI and concentrations of N, S, and Mn in leaves, and may increase the concentrations of P, Cu, and Fe; however, higher N rates can reduce AE. The N sources had similar effects, and therefore urea is recommended for N fertilization. Inoculation with A. brasilense decreased leaf concentration of Fe and increased LCI, leaf concentration of P, AE, and corn grain yield; the use of this diazotrophic bacterium is therefore viable even when high rates of N are applied.

The high cost and the low efficiency of fertilizers, especially nitrogen (N), are of major concerns in agriculture. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of N fertilizers sources in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu (palisade grass). The study was conducted in Cerrado of Brazil to evaluate dry-matter yield (DMY), recovery of applied N (RAN), N use efficiency (NUE), and chemical composition of palisade grass in response to sources of N (ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium sulfate-nitrate, urea, urea with urease inhibitor, polymer-coated urea, and control) in seven harvests (100 kg ha-1 N were applied after each harvest). The N fertilization increased DMY and growth of palisade grass compared to control (without N fertilization). However, there was not any difference in DMY due to N sources. Application of ammonium sulfate-nitrate increased RAN. The urea, urea with urease inhibitor, and polymercoated urea improved NUE. Concentration of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was decreased, while concentrations of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and cellulose were not affected by the fertilizers. Crude protein (CP) content was increased with N supply, but CP fractions A and B were not changed, except in the fifth period of growth. The results indicated protected fertilizers (ammonium sulfate-nitrate, urea with urease inhibitor, and polymer-coated urea) are more recommended for the cultivation of palisade grass in the Cerrado biome of Brazil.

The use of plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) that can solubilize phosphorus (P) has shown potential to improve nutrient availability in grass crops such as corn (Zea mays L.) This study was developed to investigate if inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus subtilis or Pseudomonas fluorescens associated with P 2 O 5 rates can improve phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) reflecting on greater corn development and yield. The field trial was set up in a Rhodic Hapludox under no-till system under Savannah conditions, in a completely randomized block design with four replicates. Treatments were tested in a full factorial design and included: (i) five P 2 O 5 rates (0 to 105 kg ha −1) and (ii) four PGPB seed inoculation (Control-without inoculation, A. brasilense, B. subtilis or P. fluorescens). Inoculation was found to increase grain yield by 39.5, 29.1, and 15.9% when B. subtilis was inoculated in the absence of P 2 O 5 rates and associated with 17.5 and 70 kg P 2 O 5 ha −1 and by 34.7% when A. brasilense was inoculated with application of 105 kg P 2 O 5 ha −1. In addition, inoculation with B. subtilis and A. brasilense were found to increase P uptake, benefiting productive components development, leading to an improved PUE, and greater corn grain yield. The results of this study showed positive improvements in P uptake as a result of B. subtilis and A. brasilense inoculation, with an increase of 100.5 and 54.6% on PUE, respectively; while the P. fluorescens inoculation were less evident. Further research should be conducted under biotic or/and abiotic conditions such as attack of pathogens and insects, drought, salinity, water flooding, low and high temperature to better understand the role of PGPB, inoculated alone or in combination as the co-inoculated method.

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense, associated with N rates and sources, in soil of the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna), on the grain yield of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum). The experiment was carried out under a no-tillage system in a Typic Haplustox. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks with four replicates, in a 2x5x2 factorial arrangement: two N sources (urea and urea with NBPT urease inhibitor); five N rates applied as topdressing (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha -1 ); and with or without seed inoculation with A. brasilense. The increase in the N rates positively affected spike length, number of spikelets and of grains per spike, number of spikes per meter, N accumulation in the straw, leaf chlorophyll content, and grain yield of irrigated wheat, regardless of the use of NBPT urease inhibitor with conventional urea. Singly, inoculation with A. brasilense does not affect production components and grain yield, despite the increase in N content in wheat straw. The inoculation with A. brasilense, associated with the application of 140 kg ha -1 N, provides the highest grain yield of irrigated wheat cropped after corn in low-altitude Cerrado.

Nitrogen is the nutrient that most influences productivity and pasture quality but nitrogen fertilization efficiency still needs to be increased. The objective of this work was to study the efficiency of nitrogen sources and doses (N) on the yield of Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa applied during rainy and dry periods. The soil of the experimental area is an ultisol with a sandy texture. The experimental design was a randomized block in a factorial scheme with four replications, two sources of nitrogen: urea and ammonium nitrate and five N doses (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg ha -1 per cutting), in total 0, 300, 600, 900 and 1200 kg ha -1 per season-dry or rainy, respectively). The dry matter yield (DMY) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), agronomic efficiency (AE), recovery of applied nitrogen (RAN) and physiological efficiency (PE) were evaluated. The results showed that N source did not influence DMY, NUE, AE, RAN and PE. However, the N doses influenced DMY positively, and negatively NUE, AE, RAN and PE. Generally, the increase was occurred in DMY with the increase of N doses and decrease in NUE, AE, RAN and PE. As the N source did not influence the analyzed attributes, it is recommended to use urea, because it is a fertilizer with the highest N concentration and lowest cost per unit of nutrient, at a dose of 100 kg ha -1 per cut, favoring DMY gain. In addition this urea assists with the management and maintenance of the Mombasa guineagrass.

New studies are needed to optimize the nitrogen amount that can be applied to utilize the Azospirillum brasilense benefits in maize cropping systems. In addition, information regarding the interaction between the urease inhibitor N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) and biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) and how they affect the crop development and yield is also needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rates and sources of N in combination with A. brasilense, on leaf chlorophyll index (LCI), N leaf concentration, production components, and maize grain yield in the Brazilian Cerrado region. The study was performed in a Typic Rhodic Hapludox under no-tillage system. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications arranged in a 2 × 5 × 2 factorial scheme: two N sources (urea and urea with NBPT) and five N rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha-1), with and without A. brasilense inoculation. The increase in N rates significantly enhance LCI, N leaf concentration, plant height, ear diameter, mass of 100 grains, and grain yield. No significant differences were observed among the N sources. Inoculation with A. brasilense increased LCI, stem diameter, ear length, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), with a positive effect on grain yield. The increase in N rate up to 200 kg ha-1 with A. brasilense inoculation increased grain yield, independently of the N source. The application of 100 kg ha-1 of N as urea, with inoculation of A. brasilense produced the highest profit in maize production.

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Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) efficiency can be increased by co-inoculation with bradyrhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense, allowing even greater uptake of water and nutrients, leading to higher yields. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the technical and economic viability of soybean in the Cerrado, according to the cultivars and co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense. The experiment was conducted in Selvíria, MS, in no-tillage system, in Oxisol, arranged in a randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme with two cultivars (‘Potência’ and ‘Valiosa’), with and without co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in the seed. Co-inoculation with A. brasilense increases grain yield in the cultivars ‘Potência’ and ‘Valiosa’, being economically viable. However, using the cultivar ‘Potência’ co-inoculated led to the highest profitability.