Épocas de dessecação de azevém e azevém mais ervilhaca, pastejados ou como planta de cobertura do solo, no desempenho do milho

Abstract

There is a common sense that ryegrass areas should be dissected 25 to 30 days prior corn crop sowing, otherwise, the cash crop yield might be impaired. However, in crop-livestock systems, this situation may be different. Moreover, 30 days less of grazing means a considerable financial loss to the farmer. Thus, it is important to study this possible effect within the production systems as well as its relationship with other factors such as corn nitrogen fertilization, the use or not of hairy vetch with ryegrass. Four experiments were carried out at Renascença – PR from April 2013 to April 2014: ryegrass under grazing and ungrazed; ryegrass intercropped with vetch grazed and ungrazed. The four experiments had the same treatments: time intervals between desiccation of winter pastures and corn sowing with or without nitrogen fertilization. The experiments were laid out as a randomized block design with a split plot scheme and four replications. Factor A were established at the main plot using three periods of winter ryegrass desiccation: 0, 15 and 30 days before corn sowing. At the subplots, two levels of nitrogen fertilizer were applied in in sidedress on corn: 0 and 150 kg N ha-1, using urea. The variables were assessed in relation to: the cool season forages; the soil at sowing time; of plantability, vegetative components, yield and grain yield of maize. The results showed that when used as a cover crop, the winter forage, negatively affected the plantability and corn yield when desiccated at the time of corn sowing. It is recommended to wait at least 15 days after desiccation of the winter forage with high amount of biomass to undertake corn sowing. When used for grazing, the winter forage, although negatively affect the plantability, the desiccation periods did not affect corn yield. In well managed pastures, there is no need to wait a few days between desiccation and corn sowing. The act of including a legume in the forage composition did not increase corn yield. When high doses (200 kg N ha-1) of nitrogen fertilizer is applied on winter cover crop, there is no need to apply N on corn, cultivated in sequence. Regarding to the conjunct analysis of corn yield, ryegrass and ryegrass plus vetch grazing treatments without nitrogen sidedress on corn showed the best results.