Effects of nitrogen fertilisation and irrigation on seed yield and yield components of signal grass (Urochloa decumbens)

M. W. Canto; E. J. Pancera; A. Barth Neto; C. Bremm; P. U. Vier; A. C. S. Costa

doi:10.1071/CP18369

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Previous Contents Vol 71(3)

Effects of nitrogen fertilisation and irrigation on seed yield and yield components of signal grass (Urochloa decumbens)

M. W. Canto ^A ^D , E. J. Pancera Júnior ^A , A. Barth Neto ^B , C. Bremm ^B , P. U. Vier ^A and A. C. S. Costa ^C

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Department of Animal Science, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR 87020-900, Brazil.

^B Grazing Ecology Research Group, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brazil.

^C Department of Agronomy, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR 87020-900, Brazil.

^D Corresponding author. Email: mwcanto@uem.br

Crop and Pasture Science 71(3) 294-303 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP18369
Submitted: 17 August 2018 Accepted: 23 January 2020 Published: 1 April 2020

Journal compilation © CSIRO 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

The effects of nitrogen (N) fertiliser rate and irrigation on seed yield and its components were evaluated for signal grass (Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D. Webster; syn. of Brachiaria decumbens Stapf) cv. Basilisk in a field experiment in Umuarama, Paraná, Brazil. Two water regimes (irrigated and non-irrigated) and four nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg ha^–1) were applied to perennial signal grass crops in a split-plot randomised complete block design with three replications. In two consecutive harvests, favourable rainfall resulted in irrigation having limited influence on most measurements, and the combined application of irrigation and N fertiliser did not improve seed yield. Compared with the nil N, the highest N application rate significantly increased seed yield for the first crop (266 vs 498 kg ha^–1) and the second crop (104 vs 286 kg ha^–1). Nitrogen fertilisation significantly increased number of seed per area, reproductive tiller density and plant biomass at harvest for the first and second crops. Harvest index, 1000-seed weight, reproductive tiller weight, number of spikelets per panicle and number of seeds per panicle were unaffected by N rate. Harvest index ranged from 1.10% to 3.63% and 1000-seed weight from 2.15 to 3.36 g. There were no treatment effects on number of days to flowering or anthesis. Fertilisation with 75 kg N ha^–1 for the first crop and 50–75 kg N ha^–1 for the second crop maximised signal grass seed yield.

Additional keywords: plant phenology, seed production, seed yield components, tropical grass.

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