Mapping dry matter production of Tifton 85 and its correlation with the soil chemical properties

Abstract

The creation of cattle in the semi extensive system has currently been the most used by the farmers on Brazil, however, problems such as degradation of pastures are committing this production system, reducing the production of forager and consequently the profitability of producers. In this sense, the aim of this study was to perform the mapping of the dry mass production, nitrogen accumulation, phosphorus and potassium in the Tifton 85, and evaluate their correlations with the chemical attributes in different layers of the soil profile. The study was carried out in an area of 4.3 ha constituted of Tifton 85 in the city of Vista Gaucha - RS, Brazil, during the months from October to December in the year of 2012. The experimental area was georeferenced and divided into a sample mesh of 50 x 50 m, resulting in 16 sampling points. It was conducted two cuts on Tifton 85 to evaluate the dry mass production. Soil sampling was done in the layers from 0.00 - 0.10 m, 0.10 - 0.20 and 0.20 - 0.40 m. The data were submitted to descriptive statistical analysis and linear correlation matrix of Pearson, being the results specialized in thematic maps. The production of dry mass, nitrogen accumulation, phosphorus and potassium by Tifton 85 showed coefficients of variation ranked of high to very high, and in generally, demonstrated low correlation with the soil chemical properties, independently of the layer profile evaluated.