Biomass components of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo managed at different growth ages and seasons

Abstract

SUMMARY This study was carried out aiming to evaluate the biomass components of elephant grass cv. Roxo at seven growth ages, during rainy, transition and dry seasons. A completely randomized design was adopted with a split plot arrangement over time. The treatments consisted of seven growth ages (9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54 and 63) and three seasons (rainy, transition and dry). The variables green forage biomass, dead forage biomass, green stem biomass and green leaf blade biomass showed positive linear responses to age and had their magnitude influenced by the evaluated seasons. The live/dead material ratio showed a decreasing linear response as a function of age. The leaf blade/stem ratio showed a negative linear adjustment in the rainy season, reaching a critical value of 1.0 at 59 days, and it showed a quadratic adjustment in the transition season, with the maximum point at 27.53 days; however, this ratio was not influenced by age in the dry season, revealing an average value of 2.22 ± 0.27. The canopy height and leaf area index showed a positive linear response to age in the three seasons. Tiller population density showed quadratic behaviour for age, with maximum estimated values of 134 and 110 til. m-2 at 31.24 and 37.40 days in the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. Rainfall seasonality influences the magnitude of the daily increase of the distinct biomass components of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo.

Accumulation and partition of macronutrients in Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo managed under different growth ages and seasons

“…Roxo showing positive linear behavior, it was noticed that the accumulation of those nutrients was greatest between the ages 27 and 36 DAC in the rainy season and between the ages 36 and 45 DAC for the transition season. The response in the present study is justified by the maximum population density of tillers being observed at 31 and 39 DAC in the rainy and transition seasons, respectively, as observed by Maranhão et al (2018). As for the dry season, the accumulation of nutrients was enhanced between the ages of 18 and 27 DAC.…”

Responses of Panicum and Brachiaria to irrigation during winter in the Goiás’ Cerrado-Brazil

“…In tropical regions, rain is the main factor that limits the growth and accumulation of forage mass, and it has been verified that the seasonality of rainfall influences the increase in biomass of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Roxo (16). The seasonality of Brachiaria brizantha cv.…”

Produção De Biomassa E Avaliação Bromatológica De Cultivares De Capim Elefante Pennisetum Purpureum Schum. No Período Outono Inverno

“…Tais características de alto potencial produtivo de massa forrageira, qualidade nutricional, palatabilidade, vigor de rebrote e persistência (MARANHÃO et al, 2018 b;VIANA, et al, 2018), adaptação a diferentes condições edafoclimáticas fazem com que o capim elefante seja difundido em regiões tropicais e subtropicais, podendo ser manejado para diferentes finalidades pastejo ou corte (MARANHÃO et al, 2018a), tornando a cultura interessante para o desenvolvimento da pecuária de carne e leite.…”