Agronomic Yield And Nutritive Value Of Brachiaria Reclining Under Different Fertilization Strategies In The North Of The Ecuadorian Amazon

Abstract

Cattle farming in tropical conditions claims low yields due to a low soil fertility gradient, grass species with limited productive potential, as well as local breed animals with low genetic merit. In addition, under these conditions, it has been widely evidenced that the use of nitrogenous (N) chemical fertilizers is a common practice, but without technical criteria. Faced with the fight against climate change, the study aimed to study the use of organic fodder as an alternative to replace chemical fertilizer (N) inBrachiaria reclining. A randomized complete block design was applied as a methodology, a study was carried out to compare three treatments; with or without fertilizer, T1, 100% urea (45% N) and T2, Urea + biol 50:50. The results showed higher canopy height and grass mass when 50:50 Biol + Urea (P = 0.04 to 0.05) than other fertilization plans. Regarding the chemical composition, the crude protein was slightly higher in T1 than in T2 (84 vs. 80 ± 0.1 g DM^-1), but the latter had ADF contents lower than T1 (412 vs. 423 ± 3.3 g DM), concluding that the substitution of 50% organic fertilizer instead of chemical N positively affected agronomic yields and chemical composition, the Brachiaria reclining. Therefore, more long-term studies should be performed to confirm these results.