Produçao de matéria seca e relaçao folha/caule de gramíneas forrageiras tropicais, cultivadas em vasos, com duas doses de nitrogênio

A trial consisting of 30 treatment combinations was carried out in pots in a greenhouse. Treatment combinations consisted of a 3 x 2 x 5 factorial arrangement of three grasses and two nitrogen levels, 15 and 90 ppm, and five stages of growth, 14 28, 42, 56 and 70 days after emergence. The tree grasses were Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina, Panicum maximum cv. Guinea and Setaria anceps cv. Kazungula. Dry weight of leaves, stems, and whole tillers increased, but the leaf:stem ratio decreased as the plants developed. The highest yield of top growth and tiller weigth were observed in guinea grass at the ages from 28 to 56 days, and to setaria grass at 70 days of age, except for tiller weight under the highest level of nitrogen, when the majority of the tillers of setaria grass changed to the reproductive stage. The highest level of nitrogen had a positive effect on the leaf tissue yield of grasses, except for andropogon grass, as well as on top growth and tiller weight of guinea grass, and the leaf: stem ratio of andropogon grass eng