Chemical Attributes of a Typic Acrudox Soil on Marandu Palisade Grass under Rotational Stocking, Liming and Nitrogen Fertilisation

Abstract

Urochloa brizantha (synonymous of Brachiaria ) is the most spread specie s of grass in the tropical world, primarily in regions with acid and low fertility soils. This study was conducted to investigate changes in the soil chemical properties of a Typical Acrudox submitted to a strategy of grazing with rotational stocking, liming and nitrogen fertilisation. Treatments involved combinations of two pre-grazing heights (25 and 35 cm) with two rates of nitrogen (50 and 200 kg · ha -1 · year -1 ). All combinations received lime, P and K fertilization and an untreated control group was allocated according to a complete randomised block design, five replications. Soil sampling was done in layers of 0-5, 5-10, 10-20, 20-30 and 30-40 cm deep in pastures of U . brizantha Marandu (Palisade grass). The samples were analysed for pH, H + + Al 3+ , soil organic matter (SOM), P, K + , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , exchangeable and calculated CEC, BS% and aluminium saturation. Liming and fertilisation improve the soil fertility . The highest organic matter contents were obtained for the 0 -5 cm layer, with a nitrogen fertilisation of 200 kg · N · ha -1 . The management practice for the pre-grazing height of 25 cm, regardless of the nitrogen, is the best strategy for soil quality and livestock production.