Signal grass in the agroforestry system under different arrangements of eucalyptus

Abstract

The agroforestry system is an alternative for pasture formation or recovery through intensified land use, since in Brazil a large part of these pastures are in different stages of degradation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the forage mass, height, chemical composition and mineral extraction of signal grass in the agroforestry system, three Eucalyptus arrangements, seven growth ages and two sampling sites, in the design in randomized blocks. Forage mass, height and mineral extractions increased linearly with the advancement of the growing age. It was verified that the height of the signal grass was high for the low forage masses obtained. The extractions of N, K, Ca, Mg and S increased with the increment of the forage mass, which was higher in the center of the line of the arrangement (3 x 2) + 20 m. The signal grass presented a low forage mass, being more indicated the grazing between 38 and 52 days after the corn harvest, without compromising its chemical composition. The chemical composition of the forage under the different arrangements met the parameters to obtain quality pasture for the species in the agroforestry system.