SISTEMAS DE INTEGRAÇÃO LAVOURA-PECUÁRIA COM FORRAGEIRAS DO GÊNERO Panicum maximum E MILHO NA SEGUNDA SAFRA

Abstract

The pursuit of agricultural technologies that enhance productivity and promote sustainability has encouraged the adoption of integrated crop–livestock systems (ICLS). These systems provide alternatives to increase land-use efficiency, improve nutrient cycling, and ensure soil quality. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the desiccation efficiency, biomass production, and nutrient accumulation of Zuri guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. BRS Zuri) and Quênia guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. BRS Quênia) compared to second-crop maize in ICLS, as well as soybean productivity. The experiment was conducted at the Centro Tecnológico Comigo, in Rio Verde, Goiás, between February 2023 and March 2024, on a Dystrophic Red Latosol, using a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results demonstrated that Quênia guinea grass showed higher desiccation efficiency (86.5% at 21 days) and high biomass production (6,886 kg ha⁻¹), while Zuri guinea grass stood out for its greater nutrient accumulation. Both forages (Zuri and Quênia) can be recommended for integrated crop–livestock systems, as they exhibit similar biomass production and nutrient accumulation. The forage biomass enriches the soil through the return of fertilizer equivalents, which could be considered in future studies to reduce the use of mineral fertilizers and promote greater sustainability in agricultural systems.