Yield and nutritive value of the silage of corn intercropped with tropical perennial grasses

Abstract

-The objective of this work was to compare the yield and nutritive value of the silage of corn intercropped with palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha 'Marandu') or guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus 'Tanzânia') with those of the silage of monocropped corn, as well as to evaluate the pasture established in the intercropping systems during two growing seasons (2010-2011 and 2011-2012), in low-altitude Brazilian Cerrado. The treatments consisted of three cropping systems: monocropped corn, corn intercropped with palisade grass, and corn intercropped with guinea grass, with four replicates. Intercropping decreased corn forage dry matter yield for silage; however, due to the addition of grass, total dry matter yield (corn + grass) was similar between treatments. Intercropping also did not negatively affect corn production components and morphological characteristics. The cropping systems provided silages with good nutritive values, and the inclusion of tropical forages increased the silage fiber contents. Intercropping corn with tropical perennial grasses is a viable option for producing large quantities of silage with good nutritive value. The forage yield (silage + pasture) of these intercropping systems is similar to that of monocropped corn in tropical regions and has the advantage of providing a pasture in the off-season.Index terms: Megathyrsus maximus, Urochloa brizantha, Zea mays, Brazilian Cerrado, intercropped system. Produtividade e valor nutritivo da silagem de milho em consórcio com gramíneas perenes tropicaisResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a produtividade e o valor nutritivo da silagem de milho em consórcio com capim-marandu (Urochloa brizantha 'Marandu') ou capim-tanzânia (Megathyrsus maximus 'Tanzânia') aos da silagem de milho em monocultivo, bem como avaliar a pastagem estabelecida nos sistemas consorciados durante duas estações de cultivo (2010-2011 e 2011-2012), em Cerrado brasileiro de baixa altitude. Os tratamentos consistiram de três sistemas de cultivo: milho em monocultivo, milho em consórcio com capim-marandu e milho em consórcio com capim-tanzânia, em quatro repetições. O cultivo consorciado diminuiu a produtividade de massa seca de forragem de milho para silagem; porém, devido à adição do capim, a produtividade total de massa seca (milho + capim) foi similar entre os tratamentos. O consórcio também não afetou negativamente os componentes de produção e as características morfológicas do milho. Os sistemas de cultivo produziram silagens com bons valores nutricionais, e a inclusão de forrageiras tropicais aumentou os teores de fibra na silagem. O consórcio do milho com gramíneas perenes tropicais é viável para a produção de grandes quantidades de silagem com boa qualidade nutricional. A produção de forragem (silagem + pastagem) desses sistemas consorciados é similar à do milho em monocultivo em regiões tropicais e tem a vantagem de proporcionar pastagem na entressafra.Termos para indexação: Megathyrsus maximus, Urochloa brizantha, Zea mays, Cerrado, sistema consorciado.

Production and quality of corn silage with forage and pigeon peas in a crop-livestock system

“…The consortium in which there was the participation of pigeon beans was observed to increase the content of CP, but this mode differed from other consortia only with marandu grass. N. R. Costa et al (2017) found 6.0% CP for corn silage intercropped with marandu grass. Quintino et al (2013) reported that intercropped planting of corn with legumes increased the concentration of CP in silage.…”

“…Similar results were found by Garcia et al (2016), with CP content ranging from 12.3% to 12.8% for capim-palisade in consortia with corn and without and with dwarf bean pigeon peas, respectively. N. R. Costa et al (2017) found values of 9.3% of CP in the first cut of marandu grass, with a cut at 50 d after the removal of corn for silage. Vendramini et al (2012), working with grass-convert in a single system, found values of 10 to 15% CP in three different periods in northern Florida, USA, because this component can vary with the age and stage of development of the plant.…”

“…The consulted works (Chioderoli, Mello, Grigolli, Silva, & Cesarin, 2010;Crusciol et al, 2013; N. R. Costa et al, 2017) that adopted this agricultural production system primarily evaluated the use of Urochloa brizantha, U. decumbens, and U. ruziziensis grasses, and there is a lack of studies with new grasses that appear on the market as options for SIPA, such as the Urochloa (hybrid) Convert HD364®.…”

Minerals and potentially toxic elements in corn silage from tropical and subtropical Brazil

“…Despite major relevance, there is a lack of information about the mineral composition of the corn silage produced in Brazil, with most studies focusing on biochemical aspects (Costa et al, 2017;De Oliveira et al, 2017;Pontes et al, 2018), dry matter production, and presence of mycotoxins (Schmidt et al, 2015). Besides, nutrient concentrations of corn plant results from technological level applied by the producer and breeding evolution (Ferreira et al, 2014;Woli et al, 2019), suggesting a need to constantly update reference values.…”

SEMILLAS DE Brachiaria ruziziensis EN DIFERENTES TIEMPOS Y NIVELES DE MEZCLA CON UREA PARA LA FORMACIÓN DE PASTO

“…En estos sistemas, una estrategia de implementación consiste en el uso de mezclas de fertilizantes con las semillas forrajeras para la aplicación simultánea de los dos insumos durante o después de la siembra del cultivo principal (LIMA et al, 2010). En la segunda aplicación de los fertilizantes nitrogenados representa un momento adecuado para la siembra de brachiarias, disminuyendo el riesgo de competencia entre el cultivo principal y evitando mermas en el rendimiento del grano, o de la biomasa de cultivo principal durante el ensilado u otra forma de alimentación animal (COSTA et al, 2017;OLIVEIRA et al, 2018;MOMESSO et al, 2019).…”