Nutrition and fertilization of forage grasses

This book addresses the relevance of tropical pastures and the challenges they face in terms of soil fertility, productivity, and sustainability. These pastures are characterized by highly weathered soils, low fertility, acidity, high aluminum saturation, poor management, and low technological investment, leading to inevitable degradation. The 15 chapters in this publication cover a wide range of topics related to pasture nutrition and fertilization. Readers will find in this work basic concepts, a brief history, and advances and challenges in forage plant nutrition as well as the importance of proper establishment and maintenance of pastures for high productivity and sustainability. It highlights the need for diagnostic practices, monitoring soil fertility and plant nutrition in conservation agricultural systems.

15 chapters covering pasture nutrition and fertilization, such as basic concepts, advances, and challenges It provides the proper practices for establishing and maintaining pasture sustainability and economic efficiency This book focus on tropical forages grasses nutrition and fertilization

Autorentext

Renato de Mello Prado

Renato de Mello Prado, PhD, is currently working as a Professor of Plant Nutrition at São Paulo State University (UNESP), São Paulo, Brazil. He also coordinates a research group (Genplant) focused on the nutrition of tropical plants. He has published over 500 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has authored/co-authored about 30 academic books and supervised more than one hundred students (master's/doctorate/post-doctorate).

Gustavo Caione

Professor Dr. Gustavo Caione has an academic and professional trajectory that reflects a continuous commitment to research, teaching, and extension in the field of Soil Science. He holds a degree in Agronomy from the State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT), Alta Floresta Campus, Brazil and furthered his studies with a Ph.D. and postdoctoral research at São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal Campus. Currently, he is a faculty member at the UNEMAT, Alta Floresta Campus, where he has served as the coordinator of the Agronomy program and as political, pedagogical, and financial director. He also coordinates the Laboratory of Soil, Fertilizer, and Foliar Analysis, contributing to regional development and sustainability in the northernmost region of Mato Grosso. His academic work is distinguished in the fields of Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition, with an emphasis on sustainable production systems. Professor Gustavo Caione has authored numerous scientific publications that contribute to advancing agronomic knowledge, particularly in the Amazonian context. In addition, he actively participates in undergraduate teaching in Agronomy and in the Graduate Program in Biodiversity and Amazonian Agroecosystems at UNEMAT. Among his scientific contributions, his research on phosphate fertilization stands out. His dedication to teaching, research, and extension has been fundamental in training qualified professionals and developing agricultural practices that integrate productivity and sustainability. As the editor of this book, Professor Gustavo Caione brings together essential knowledge on pasture nutrition and fertilization, providing a valuable contribution to students, researchers, and professionals in the agronomic field.

Inhalt

Introduction to pasture nutrition and fertilization.- Challenges and advances in pasture nutrition.- Nutritional diagnosis of pastures.- Impact of climate change on physiology, production and quality of tropical pastures.-Economic efficiency of conventional and irrigated pasture fertilization.- Innovations in soil fertility management in integrated agricultural production systems.- Soil fertility in pastures: how to build and monitor.- Good practices for the efficient use of fertilizers in pastures.- Use of limestone and gypsum in pastures.- Nitrogen fertilization recommendation for pasture.- Phosphate fertilizer recommendation for pastures.- Potassium fertilizer recommendation for pastures.- Recommendation for fertilization with micronutrients for pastures.- Alternatives for fertilization of intensively managed pastures.- The role of silicon in forage nutrition.