PRODUCTIVITY, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND EXTRACTION OF MINERALS OF THE MARANDU E XARAÉS CULTIVARS IN THE SEASONS OF THE YEAR

Abstract

The experiment was conducted during the years 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 to evaluate the dry matter productivity, the levels of  NDF, ADF and lignin and the levels and extraction of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium, of two Brachiaria brizantha cultivars, Marandu and Xaraés, in four seasons of the year, in the Campus JK, in Diamantina, Hight Valley of Jequitinhonha, MG. A split-split plot scheme in a completely randomized design with four replications was used, with the seasons of the year in the plots, two cultivars of Brachiaria in the subplots and two years in the subsubplots. The results showed the effect of season on yield and forage quality of the Marandu Xaraés cultivars, reflecting the climatic conditions of each season. Yields of dry matter obtained were very low for both cultivars, with a significant increase in summer and autumn, the second year. In summer, the cv. Xaraés has the highest DM yield and extract more N and K, while the cv. Marandu presented higher concentrations of P, Ca and Mg, and produced better forage chemical composition in the winter.