Silicon rates for Marandu and Xaraés grasses in conditions of aluminum toxicity

• Grant number: 14/23397-6
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal researcher: Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho
• Grantee: Nathália Cristina Marchiori Pereira
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia (FEIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Ilha Solteira. Ilha Solteira , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Brachiaria genus has a great economic importance, occupying approximately 100 million hectares of Brazilian pastures. Within this genus, the Palisadegrass is further explored in the use of pasture and cultivar Xaraés has grown significantly. The great demand on the use of Brachiaria is beyond its high nutritional value, as this plants has endurance and tolerance to acid soils and high aluminum saturation. This fact can be explained by the ability to absorb and accumulate silicon in the shoot part. However, there is still need for more research to see if there is actually beneficial effect of silicon in alleviating the stress caused for the forage under conditions of aluminum toxicity. However, there is still need for more research to see if there is actually beneficial effect of silicon in alleviating the stress caused for the forage under conditions of aluminum toxicity. Therefore, the aim will be to evaluate whether the silicon contributes significantly to the growth and nutritional status of Brachiaria brizantha. Palisadegrass and Brachiaria brizantha. Xaraés, under conditions of aluminum toxicity. Thus as, verifying the effect of silicon rates in the decreased stres of these forages generated by toxic aluminum. The experiment will be conducted in the greenhouse conditions and the experimental design will be a randomized complete block with 10 treatments and 4 replications, in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme, with five rates of silicon (0; 0.3; 0.6; 1.2 and 2.4 mmol L-1) and two species of forages Brachiaria brizantha. Palisadegrass and Brachiaria brizantha. Xaraés, using as milled quartz substrate under conditions of toxic aluminum (27 mg L-1). The following evaluations will be performed: the macronutrients, micronutrients, aluminum and silicon contents in leaves diagnostic and in the roots; plant height, number of leaves and tillers and dry matter yield of brachiarias. (AU)