RESUMO: Objetivou-se avaliar, por meio de correlação parcial, o grau de associação entre o acúmulo de forragem e as características morfogênicas do capim-tanzânia (Panicum maximum Jacq.) desfolhado com 95% de interceptação luminosa e adubado com nitrogênio em diferentes densidades de planta. O delineamento foi em blocos completos casualizados, com 12 tratamentos e duas repetições em esquema fatorial 4 × 3, constituído por 4 doses de nitrogênio (0, 80, 160 e 320kg ha-1 ano-1) e três densidades de plantas (9, 25 e 49 plantas m-2). As colheitas foram realizadas a 25cm do nível do solo quando as parcelas interceptavam 95% da luz incidente. Os coeficientes de correlação simples foram altos e positivos, entre o acúmulo de forragem e as taxas de alongamento de folha e de colmo e aparecimento de folha. Já a associação do acúmulo com a duração da vida das folhas foi alta e negativa. O estudo dos coeficientes de correlação parcial implicou em mudanças consideráveis na estrutura da correlação, onde a associação com o alongamento de colmos assumiu valor negativo e estatisticamente igual a zero, indicando não haver relação de causa e efeito entre estas variáveis. Resultado semelhante foi observado para a associação entre o acúmulo de forragem e o aparecimento de folhas e a duração da vida da folha. á a correlação parcial entre o acúmulo e o alongamento de folhas foi diferente de zero e positiva. Nesse contexto, em dosséis forrageiros de capim-tanzânia desfolhados com 95% de interceptação de luz, a taxa de alongamento foliar é a variável morfogênica que apresenta maior grau de associação com o acúmulo de forragem.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate, through partial correlation analysis, the degree of association between herbage accumulation and morphogenetic traits of ‘Tanzania’ grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) defoliated with 95% of light interception and fertilized with nitrogen, under different planting densities. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete design with 12 treatments and two replicates, in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement consisting of four nitrogen rates (0, 80, 160, and 320kg ha-1 Yr-1) and three planting densities (9, 25, and 49 plants m-2). Harvests were performed at 25cm above the soil, when the plots intercepted 95% of the incident light. The simple correlation coefficients between herbage accumulation and leaf and stem elongation rates and leaf appearance rate were high and positive. Correlation between herbage accumulation and leaf lifespan; however, was high and negative. The study of partial correlation coefficients revealed considerable changes in the correlation structure, whereby the association with stem elongation had a negative value statistically equal to zero, indicating no relationship between these variables. A similar result was observed for the correlations between herbage accumulation and leaf appearance and leaf lifespan. The partial correlation between accumulation and leaf elongation was different from zero and positive indicating a strong association. In Guinea grass cv. ‘Tanzania’ canopies defoliated at 95% light interception, leaf elongation is the morphogenetic variable with the highest strength of association with herbage accumulation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of nitrogen supply and plants densities in the productivity of mombasa guineagrass (Panicum maximum) in the period of establishment. The design was of completely randomized blocks, with 12 treatments and three repetitions, with four nitrogen supplies (absence of application, 80, 160 and 320 kg/ha.year) and three plant densities (9, 25 and 49 plants/m²). The plot was cut at 30 cm from the ground when the sward high intercepted 95% of light. The following items were evaluated: sward height at 95% light interception, interval and number of cuts, dry mass production, total dry mass of leaves, stems and dead material and the morphologic composition. Nitrogen increased the dry mass production and the dry mass of stem in winter and summer, and decreased in the fall. The total dry mass of leaf presented decrease of 19% in the summer between the smallest and biggest densities in the 320 kg/ha. The dry mass of dead material had negative effect of the density in the fall. The leaf percentage increased 88% between the smallest and largest nitrogen level at the plant density of 49 plants/m². Only density influenced the sward height in the condition of 95% of light interception. The number of cuts increased with nitrogen levels in the fall, spring and summer, while the interval of cuts decreased with fertilization in the spring and summer. Nitrogen increases the production of mombasa guineagrass in each cycle.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito da adubação nitrogenada e da densidade de plantas nas características morfogênicas e estruturais do capim-mombaça (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv mombaça). O experimento foi realizado em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com 12 tratamentos e três repetições, com quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 80, 160 e 320 kg/ha.ano) e em três densidades (9, 25 e 49 plantas/m²) nas quatro estações do ano. O corte foi realizado a 30 cm do nível do solo, quando o dossel atingia 95% de interceptação luminosa. Foram mensuradas as taxas de aparecimento foliar, senescência e alongamento foliar, filocrono, taxa de alongamento de pseudocolmo, número de folhas vivas, duração de vida das folhas, número de perfilhos totais por touceira e taxas de aparecimento e mortalidade dos perfilhos totais. A adubação nitrogenada influenciou positivamente as taxas de aparecimento foliar e de perfilhos totais (outono e inverno), as taxas de alongamento foliar (primavera e verão) e de pseudocolmos (verão), a taxa de senescência foliar (outono, inverno, primavera e verão) e o número de folhas vivas e de perfilhos totais (primavera e verão). A adubação também influenciou positivamente o perfilhamento do capim-mombaça. As densidades mais elevadas aumentaram as taxas de alongamento e senscência foliar e diminuíram o número de perfilhos. A adubação nitrogenada reduz o filocrono e a duração de vida das folhas (primavera e verão), mas não influencia a taxa de mortalidade de perfilhos.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of the nitrogen fertilization and density of plants in the morphogenic and structural characteristics of mombaça grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.). The experiment was set up as a completely randomized block design with 12 treatments and three repetitions, with four applications of nitrogen (0, 80, 160 and 320 kg/ha.year) and three densities (9, 25 and 49 plants/m²) in the four seasons of the year. The plot was cut at 30 cm from the ground, when the light interception reached 95%. The following measures were done: leaf appearance and elongation rate, Phyllochron, leaf senescence rate, number of live leaves, leaf lifetime, stem elongation rate and rates of appearance and mortality of the total tiller. Nitrogen fertilization positively influenced the leaf and tiller appearance (fall and winter) rates, leaf elongation (spring and summer), and stem elongation (summer) rates, leaf senescence (all the stations) rate and number of live leaves and tillers (spring and summer). The fertilization also influenced positively the tillering of mombaça grass. Higher densities of plants increased the elongation and leaf senescence rates and decreased the number of tillers. Nitrogen fertilization reduces the phyllocron and life lenght of leaves (spring and summer), but does not affect the mortality rate of tillers.

The objective of this work was to evaluate effects of nitrogen fertilization and plant density on morphogenesis of Tanzania guinea grass. It was used a random block design with 12 treatments and two replications in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement, with four doses of nitrogen (N) (without N application, 80, 160 or 320 kg/ha.year) and three plant densities (9, 25 or 49 plants/m²). Harvest was performed at 25 cm from the ground when the canopy intercepted 95% of the incident light. Rates of leaf appearance and pseudostem elongation were positively and linearly influenced by nitrogen, whereas phillochron and leaf life span were influenced linearly and negatively. Leaf elongation responded positively to two factors, whereas leaf senescence rate and number of live leaves were not influenced by the factors evaluated. Number of total, basal and aerial tillers were greater at the density of 9 plants/m² and at the nitrogen dose of 320 kg/ha.year. Nitrogen increases production of leaves and tillers in Tanzania guinea grass defoliated at 95% of light interception, but high density of plants reduces the number of tiller per bunch.