Establishment of Urochloa brizantha cultivars intercropped with different cereal grains

Abstract

<p>Crop-livestock integration is an alternative method of rehabilitating degraded pastures. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the initial responses of morphostructural characteristics of two different <em>Urochloa brizantha </em>cultivars grown in monocropping or intercropping systems over two agricultural years. <em>U. brizantha </em>cultivars Marandu and Piatã were grown as monocrops or intercropped with corn or sorghum. A randomized block experimental design with a triple factorial scheme, two additional treatments (2x2x2+2) and four replicates was used. The following factors were tested: two <em>U. brizantha </em>cultivars (Marandu or Piatã), two intercropping combinations (with corn or sorghum), and two agricultural years (2010/2011 and 2011/2012). An additional treatment included <em>U. brizantha </em>cultivars grown as monocrops. The morphogenic and structural characteristics and forage gross production rates were evaluated in the different cropping systems. Intercropping with grain crops had a negative effect on the initial productivity of <em>U. brizantha</em>, and areas with intercropping presented higher tiller density, lower rates of leaf emergence and elongation and lower forage gross production rates relative to the monocropping systems. However, intercropping is a viable alternative to conventional monocropping systems, which was indicated by the land equivalent ratio.</p>