Legume proportion and litter deposition rate in signal grass-forage peanut mixed pastures at varying planting spacings.
2025
CARDOSO, L. L. | SOUZA, I. A. de | PEREIRA, O. G. | CECON, P. R. | GOMIDE, C. A. de M. | DUBEUX JR., J. C. B. | RIBEIRO, K. G. | LUCAS LADEIRA CARDOSO, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE VIÇOSA; IGOR ALEXANDRE DE SOUZA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DOS VALES DO JEQUITINHONHA E MUCURI; ODILON GOMES PEREIRA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE VIÇOSA; PAULO ROBERTO CECON, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE VIÇOSA; CARLOS AUGUSTO DE MIRANDA GOMIDE, CNPGL; JOSÉ CARLOS BATISTA DUBEUX JR, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA; KARINA GUIMARÃES RIBEIRO, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE VIÇOSA.
Mixed legume–grass pastures may enhance nitrogen recycling via litter and excreta com‐ pared to unfertilized grass monocultures. This study evaluated litter biomass, litter dep‐ osition rate, and the chemical and isotopic composition of Urochloa decumbens litter in monoculture and mixed pasture intercropped with Arachis pintoi cv. Belmonte at five planting spacings (0.40, 0.50, 0.60, 0.70, and 0.80 m) in a Ferralsol. Additionally, isotopic analysis of sheep feces under grazing was conducted across the dry season. The experi‐ ment was conducted according to a split‐plot scheme, with spacings in the plots and the periods or years in the subplots, in a randomized block design, with four replications. Litter biomass was not significantly influenced by planting spacing; however, the litter deposition rate was substantially greater in mixed pastures, reaching up to 77.2 kg ha−1 day−1 in the second year. Isotopic analysis revealed that up to 39% of the litter carbon was derived from C3 plants (Arachis pintoi), while nitrogen concentration ranged from 8.3 g kg−1 in monoculture to 12.9 g kg−1 at 0.40 m spacing. Spatial arrangement was critical for optimizing nutrients dynamic. Narrower planting spacings (0.40–0.50 m) increased the proportion of Arachis pintoi and enhanced litter deposition rates, improving nitrogen in‐ puts and cycling within mixed Urochloa decumbens.
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