R. Bras. Zootec.01/Jan/2009;38(1):166-76.
The intercrop between signal grass and corn: productive performance of the cultures, nutritional characteristics and silage quality
DOI: 10.1590/S1516-35982009000100021
The objective of this work was to evaluate differences between silages produced from exclusive cultures or intercropped with corn and signal grass cultures in different sowing arrangements (two lines of signal grass in the corn inter-lines and hand-sowed signal grass in the corn inter-lines) The production of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) for area was evaluated, as well as the qualitative variables of DM in the silages including CP, TDN, NDF, LIG, NFC, NH3, butyric and lactic acids and pH. The corn in exclusive culture, signal grass in two lines and hand-sowed signal grass did not differ in relation to the DM, CP and TDN production or the qualitative variables in relation to the CP, TDN, NDF, LIG, pH, NH3, butyric and lactic acid contents in the silage, showing better behavior than the signal grass exclusive culture. However, the canopy recovery in the area before harvest was faster in the two lines of signal grass in the corn inter-lines.