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- Title
Arboreal Legume Litter Nutrient Contribution to a Tropical Silvopasture.
- Authors
Apolinário, Valéria Xavier de Oliveira; Dubeux Jr., José Carlos Batista; Lira, Mário de Andrade; Sampaio, Everardo V. S. B.; de Amorim, Silvânia Oliveira; e Silva, Nalígia Gomes de Miranda; Muir, James P.
- Abstract
Legumes contribute to pasture sustainability through symbiotic N2 fixation, which may increase primary productivity and animal performance in low-input systems. Litterfall is the main way of cycling nutrients from tree legumes. We quantified gliricidia [Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp.] and sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth) litter deposition, along two 336-d cycles, in a signalgrass (Brachiaria decumbens Stapf.) pasture. Litterfall was produced throughout the year but concentrated in the dry season. Sabiá produced slightly greater (P < 0.0001) litterfall amounts in the two cycles (10,790 kg ha-1) than gliricidia (10,420 kg ha-1) but the overall average N concentration of gliricidia (21.5 g kg-1) was greater than that of sabiá (18.8 g kg-1). Nitrogen amounts cycled through the litter were greater for gliricidia in both cycles (105 and 109 kg N ha-1) than for sabiá (87 and 98 kg N ha-1). The proportions of litter N that were derived from the atmosphere by symbiotic fixation were similar (P ≥ 0.05) in both species (55%) and varied little along the two cycles. Lignin concentration, which influences decomposition, was similar in both species, averaging 238 and 214 g kg-1 in the two cycles for gliricidia and 233 and 246 g kg-1 for sabiá. Greater N concentration, lower C/N ratio and lower lignin concentration indicate that gliricidia litter may have a faster cycling rate than sabiá litter. Sabiá could be a more promising species for soil cover and protection because of its slower litter decomposition rate.
- Subjects
LEGUMES; SILVOPASTORAL systems; PLANT litter; GLIRICIDIA sepium; SABIA; SIGNALGRASS
- Publication
Agronomy Journal, 2016, Vol 108, Issue 6, p2478
- ISSN
0002-1962
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2134/agronj2016.02.0120