Seed systems of Brachiaria species in intercropping with grain sorghum in the off-season*

Abstract

The grain sorghum intercropped with Brachiaria provides the production of grains and dry mass in the off-season; however, there is a lack of information related to the implantation of these species. The objective of this study was to identify the best association of sorghum and Brachiaria in the production of grain and dry matter in the Brazilian Cerrado region. The experiment was conducted in Rio Verde, State of Goiás, in the experimental design of randomized blocks, in a 2×3×4+5 factorial scheme, with four replications. Two sorghum hybrids (BRS 330 and DKB 551) associated to three Brachiaria species (Brachiaria brizantha cultivar Marandu, Brachiaria decumbens and Brachiaria ruziziensis) were evaluated in four systems of Brachiaria implantation (row, interrow, row + interrow of sorghum and spread). Additional treatments referred to the two sorghum monocrops and the three Brachiaria species. The sorghum and Brachiaria consortium resulted in a reduction in grain yield, but the Brachiaria implantation systems in the row, interrow and spread were the most promising. The sorghum hybrid DKB 551 was the most sensitive to the competition with Brachiaria, although there were no grain yield differences in the intercropping. The Brachiaria intercropped in the interrow and in the row + interrow, mainly with B. ruziziensis, were the most promising for the production of dry mass and total crude protein. The cultivation of Brachiaria intercropped with sorghum provided a greater contribution of dry mass in the off-season, an important fact for the no-tillage system in the agricultural production systems of the Brazilian Cerrado.