CHARACTERIZATION OF VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE TILLERS AS A BASIS TO RECOMMEND HEIGHTS AND NITROGEN DOSES FOR THE STOCKPILLAGE OF MARANDU PALISADE GRASS

Abstract

The objective was to determine the height and the nitrogen dose at the beginning of the deferral period suitable for the deferral of Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu (marandu grass). Two pasture heights (15 and 30 cm) and four nitrogen doses (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg ha^-1) were evaluated in a completely randomized design, with three replications and a 4 x 2 factorial scheme. There was a linear increase in the number of vegetative tillers with the application of nitrogen in the 15 cm deferred pasture. The lengths of stem and leaf blades of tillers increased linearly with the application of nitrogen. The weight of the vegetative tillers was greater in the 30 cm deferred pasture, compared to the 15 cm when the pasture was fertilized with 0 and 40 kg ha^-1 of N. The nitrogen fertilization linearly increased the weight of the vegetative tillers in the deferred pastures with 15 cm, as well as the weight of reproductive tillers in the 30 cm deferred pastures. To obtain pasture with adequate morphology, it is recommended that marandu grass be deferred with 15 cm and fertilized with 80 kg ha-1 of N at the beginning of the deferment period.