Synergistic effect of biofertilizer and nitrogen fertilizer application in pastures

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the synergistic application of biofertilizer and water-soluble fertilizer on the yield and quality of pastures under the soil and climate conditions of Tumbaco-Ecuador.

Materials and Methods: Biofertilizer produced by facultative anaerobic fermentation of dairy cow effluents was used. Three doses of biofertilizer (0, 600; 1 200 L ha^-1 cut^-1) and three doses of water-soluble nitrogen fertilizer (0; 10; 20 kg N ha^-1 cut^-1) were evaluated. A complete randomized block design was used, with three blocks and nine treatments. The variables biomass, crude protein and normalized difference vegetation index were analyzed. Seven cuts were made from January to July.

Results: The best results were obtained when nitrogen fertilizer and biofertilizer were used in combination. Statistical differences (p < 0,05) were observed in the studied variables. The treatment with 600 L and 20 kg N ha^-1 cut^-1 recorded the highest biomass yield with 3 177 kg dry matter ha^-1. Crude protein indicated values of 21,6 % and the normalized differentiated vegetation index reached values of 0,89 when 1 200 L ha^-1 cut^-1 and 20 kg N ha^-1 cut^-1 were used.

Conclusions: Biofertilizers have low nutrient concentration, but great potential, since they improve the assimilation of nitrogen fertilizers and good yields and pasture quality are achieved with relatively low doses of nitrogen between cuts.