Enzymatic activity of the soil, physiological, morphological, and bromatological aspects of Brachiaria brizantha CV. MARANDU under the application of different sources of phosphorus in soils corrected with silicate.

• Grant number: 23/17890-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2024
• End date: March 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Theodoro Bull
• Grantee: Marina Ramos Cardoso
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The use of fertilizers is essential for improving soil fertility and increasing productivity, thus meeting the growing global demand for food. Among the most marketed fertilizers, phosphates stand out. Due to the high dependence on international manufacturers and the high costs of importation, it becomes necessary to conduct studies aimed at increasing the efficiency of phosphorus use by crops. The use of silicates in agriculture as acidity correctives has grown exponentially in recent years, being a cheap, environmentally friendly, and effective alternative (approximately 6.8 times more soluble) when compared to conventional sources. The objective of this study is to evaluate the enzymatic activity of the soil, productive and nutritional aspects, physiological and bromatological characteristics of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, under the application of different phosphate sources in tropical soils corrected with silicate. The agronomic efficiency experiment of the P sources will be conducted in a protected environment using Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu, adopting a randomized block experimental design in a factorial scheme of 2 × 8 + 1, with two soils, eight treatments, and an additional one. Morphological, physiological, and nutritional variables, bromatological analysis of the evaluated crop, agronomic efficiency index, and soil enzymatic activity will be evaluated. The data will be subjected to normality and homogeneity tests, followed by analysis of variance and mean comparison tests, respectively.