Tillering and Structural Characteristics of Panicum Cultivars in the Brazilian Semiarid Region

Emmanuel Lievio de Lima Veras, Gelson dos Santos Difante, Antonio Leandro Chaves Gurgel, Ana Beatriz Graciano da Costa, Jéssica Gomes Rodrigues, Carolina Marques Costa, João Virginio Emerenciano Neto, Marislayne de Gusmão Pereira and Pablo Ramon Costa
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Emmanuel Lievio de Lima Veras: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Gelson dos Santos Difante: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Antonio Leandro Chaves Gurgel: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Ana Beatriz Graciano da Costa: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Jéssica Gomes Rodrigues: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Carolina Marques Costa: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
João Virginio Emerenciano Neto: Campus of Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Vale do São Francisco, Petrolina 56304-917, Pernabuco, Brazil
Marislayne de Gusmão Pereira: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande 79070-900, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Pablo Ramon Costa: Academic Unit Specializing in Agricultural Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Macaíba 59280-000, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-11

Abstract: Panicum maximum grasses are among the most used in Brazil because they have high forage production potential, nutritional value and adaptation to different climate conditions and in poor soils, which have been improved by the application of dolomitic limestone and nitrogen fertilizers and K 2 O, P 2 O 5 . The aim was to evaluate the tillering capacity and structural characteristics of six cultivars of Panicum maximum in the Brazilian semiarid region. The test was configured as a randomized block design with six treatments—the cultivars Aruana, Massai, Mombaça, Tamani, Tanzânia, and Zuri—and four replications. The studied variables included tiller population dynamics, tiller population density (TPD), appearance rate (ApR), mortality (MorB), tiller survival (SuvP), tiller stability index, height, light interception (LI), forage mass (FM), and morphological constituents. As to the population dynamics of tillers, seven generations were evaluated, and the largest number of tillers was observed in the first generation, regardless of the cultivar. Furthermore, the Massai cultivar demonstrated the highest TPD in all generations. Interaction between the cultivar and evaluation period was noted for ApR: the cultivars Tamani and Tanzânia indicated higher ApR at 122 and 137 days after establishment. The cultivar (P = 0.380) and evaluation period (P = 0.4469) had no effect on SuvP; however, higher MorB was detected in the cultivars Aruana and Tamani compared to Mombaça and Zuri, with intermediate values detected in the other cultivars. The highest FM was observed in the cultivars Massai, Mombaça, and Tamani, as well as in the leaf blade of Massai and Mombaça. The cultivars Massai, Mombaça, Tamani, Tanzânia, and Zuri have the potential to be cultivated in areas with marked water deficit and high temperatures, such as the Brazilian semiarid region. The cultivar Massai has a rapid recovery after a period of water scarcity. The cultivar Aruana is not recommended for use in the Brazilian semiarid region under rainfed conditions.

Keywords: tiller number; forage mass; grass; pasture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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