Influência da adubação na produtividade e custos do consórcio de sorgo ou milho com capim marandu no sistema integração lavoura pecuária no cerrado

Abstract

Crop-livestock integration (CLI) is an agricultural production system that combines livestock farming with crop production to maximize natural resources, sustainability, and economic profitability. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics and production costs of corn and sorghum intercropped with Marandu grass under two fertilization levels: a high dose (3.0 tons/ha of Dolomitic Limestone, 180 kg/ha of Monoammonium Phosphate) and a low dose (1.5 tons/ha of Dolomitic Limestone, 120 kg/ha of Monoammonium Phosphate) in the crop-livestock integration system. The experiment was conducted at Capim de Cheiro Farm, in Paraopeba, MG, Brazil, on Latossol soil. Two agricultural crops were used (corn or sorghum intercropped with Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu grass). The respective intercropping combinations were used: corn with grass at a high fertilization dose; sorghum with grass at a high fertilization dose; corn with grass at a low fertilization dose, and sorghum with grass at a low fertilization dose. A randomized block design was used, in a factorial scheme (2x2), represented by two fertilization levels (high and low doses) and the two crops, with four replications. Data were analyzed using R software and the F-test. The highest production of natural matter was observed at the high-dose level, with average values of 51,765.62 and 60,578.12 kg/ha for the corn-grass and sorghum-grass intercropping, respectively. For the low fertilization dose, the highest production was observed for the sorghum-grass intercropping (31,993.75 kg/ha). The lowest costs per kilogram of dry matter were also observed at the higher fertilization level, with values of R$ 0.30 and R$ 0.22 for the corn-grass and sorghum-grass intercropping, respectively. The high fertilization level ensures higher dry matter production regardless of the chosen intercropping, thereby reducing costs associated with pasture recovery. Moreover, at the higher fertilization dose, the cost of production per kg of green and dry matter was lower due to the dilution of costs in the higher production.