ABSTRACT. The objective was to evaluate the morphometric, productive and chemical aspects of purple elephant grass as a function of nitrogen fertilization. The treatments consisted of applying 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 kg ha-1 of N, using a randomized block design, with five treatments and four replications. The following were evaluated: plant height, number, length and leaf mass, stem diameter and mass, leaf/stem ratio, production of green and dry mass, support capacity for dairy cows, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and mineral matter. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey's test at 5% probability. The increase in N doses did not affect (p < 0.05) the morphometry of the purple elephant grass, however it positively stimulated the productivity, the animal support capacity and the bromatological components of the harvested material. The lack of response to nitrogen fertilization may be related to the edaphocilimatic conditions during the experiment and efficiency in the use of N of the variety used. The results demonstrate the high demand of the cultivar for N, actively interfering in the forage yield.

Objetivando avaliar os efeitos provocados pela variabilidade temporal da precipitação pluvial sobre o desenvolvimento e produtividade da cultura do girassol (Helianthus annuus L.) em função da adubação nitrogenada e cultivares, realizaram-se experimentos nos anos de 1995, 1996, 1998, em Alagoinha-PB, e, no ano de 1998, em Esperança-PB, com a cultura do girassol, analisando-se quatro níveis de nitrogênio (0, 30, 60 e 90kg.ha-1), dois cultivares (uma precoce e uma tardia), em blocos casualizados, com 4 repetições. Durante a condução dos experimentos, foram analisados os estádios fenológicos, fitomassa, rendimento e precipitação pluvial durante o ciclo da cultura. Com relação aos resultados, verificou-se para o município de Alagoinha-PB uma precipitação pluvial média anual do período de 1.018,6mm. As respostas dos tratamentos adotados para a cultura sobre as variáveis analisadas estiveram na dependência da distribuição da precipitação pluvial durante as fases de desenvolvimento dos cultivares. Foi observada também uma grande variação na resposta do girassol em relação aos níveis de nitrogênio e às cultivares em função do tempo.

With the aim of analyzing the effects caused by temporal variability of rains over sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) tillage income and development in function of nitrogen fertilization and cultivars, experiments with sunflower tillage were performed in Alagoinha-PB in the years of 1995,1996,1998 in the municipal district of Esperança-PB in 1998. In this occasion four levels of nitrogen were verified (0, 30, 60 and 90kg.ha-1), two cultivars (one precocious and another late) in blocks at random with four repetitions. Beyond these experiments, some data about pluvial precipitation were analyzed. During the performance of the experiments we analyzed the tillage phenological stages, biomass accumulation and income and its components. In relation to the results, was verified in Alagoinha-PB an annual average rains of this period (1981 - 1999) around 1.018,6mm. The sunflower vegetative and reproductive stages have changed according to the distribution of rains during the tillage cycle. The adopted treatment answers for tillage over the analyzed variations were depending on the distribution of rains during the tillage development stages. There was also a big variation in the tillage answers in relation to the nitrogen levels and in the cultivars in function of weather.