Nitrogen input strategies in pastures: mineral fertilizer, bacterial inoculant and consortium with forage peanuts

Abstract

Brazil is a prominent country in the production of beef cattle, where pastures are the basis for ruminant feed, because it is the most economical and practical form of food supply. Nitrogen is the main nutrient for maintaining and increasing the productivity of forage grasses, but its application is one of the most costly and greenhouse gas emitting practices for the system. The introduction of this element into the soil-plant-animal complex can be directly, with mineral fertilizers and with other alternatives, for example, through symbiosis of plants with atmospheric nitrogen fixing bacteria and plant growth promoting bacteria. Owing to future climate changes and increasing food demand, plant and animal production systems need to be increasingly competitive, responsible and efficient. Therefore, the objective of this study was to discuss nitrogen supply strategies in pastures: nitrogen fertilization, inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and consortium with forage peanuts.

Physiological responses and forage accumulation of Marandu palisadegrass and Mombaça guineagrass to nitrogen fertilizer in the Brazilian forage‐based systems

“…The increased FAR, LAI and CP in the fertilized pastures supported the nitrogen input importance for the maintenance or enhancement of the pasture productivity (Bourscheidt, Pedreira, Pereira, Zanette, & Devens, 2019), mainly if the initial soil fertility is relatively low (Table 1). The cumulative nitrogen input effect contributes to improving the forage-livestock system productivity and, consequently, land-use efficiency.…”

Herbage Accumulation, Nutritive Value, and Organic Reserves of Continuously Stocked ‘Ipyporã’ and ‘Mulato II’ Brachiariagrasses

“…The large decrease in HA and organic reserves from the first to the second year for both cultivars provides evidence of the need for nutrient replenishment under grazing (Bourscheidt et al, 2019). In a forage-livestock system, efficiency of conversion of light energy into biomass affected most by light level (Sheehy and Cooper, 1973), although it is also affected by nutrient availability.…”

“…Overall, herbage CP was 30% greater (32 g kg −1 ) in the rainy than in the dry season. The N fertilization was applied during the rainy season to ensure greater N use efficiency (Bourscheidt et al, 2019). Moreover, in the rainy season, the plant produces the greatest amount of new tissue, and most of this is leaf, where the majority of CP is concentrated (Vargas et al, 2013).…”

Nitrous oxide emissions and forage accumulation in the Brazilian Amazon forage‐livestock systems submitted to N input strategies

“…The U40 and SA40 presented FA intermediated to all N inputs strategies. Fertilization with higher rates may result in greater FA; however, the N source could also drive this process (Bourscheidt, Pedreira, Pereira, Zanette, & Devens, 2019). Although we would expect more FA using AS source, once it has sulfur (23%) in addition to N (Chien, Gearhart, & Villagarcía, 2011), in our study, there was no N source effects on FA at the same rates.…”