Sistema de cultivo adensado de palma forrageira sob adubação organo-mineral.

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the productivity of the forage cactus (Opuntia fícus-indica Mill (L)) on the different phosphorus levels. This experiment was conducted as a field level in rainfed conditions, in Cazajeiras farm, located in Assunçao-PB. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with five treatments and five repetitions, the treatments were: T1 – no manure/simple superphosphate, T2 – 15t ha-1 of goat manure + 375kg ha-1 of simple superphosphate, T3 – 15t ha-1 of goat manure + 500kg ha-1 of simple superphosphate, T4 - 15t ha-1 of goat manure + 625kg ha-1 of simple superphosphate, T5 - 15t ha-1 of goat manure + 750kg ha-1 of simple superphosphate. The planting system was used with narrow spacing in the overlap of racquets 1,00m x 0,10m. The measurements of plant height, length of cladodes, cladodes thickness, its width and the forage cactus perimeter were performed at six months after planting,the relative growth rate and the content of water in the forage cactus were determined at the end of the experiment. Then the new measurements were made in every sixty days using the same parameters until the 360 days of planting were completed. The productivity and bromatologic analyzes of forage cactus were conducted at the end of the experiment. According to the results, it was found that the productivity of forage cactus was higher with the addition of 15t h ha-1 goat manure + 750kg h ha-1 of simple superphosphate. The productivity of forage cactus was influenced by the amount of P applied; the quality of forage cactus, estimated by the crude protein content, increased with the levels of phosphorus applied to the soil; The amount of phosphorus increased the amount of water in the forage cactus; the relative growth of the forage cactus was higher up to 180 d.a.p. It is necessary further research of the cactus forage for the semiarid region in order to minimize the costs of crop establisment.