Produção de Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D. Webster em Sistema Silvipastoril na Região do Recôncavo Baiano

Abstract

Conventional grazing systems, when managed inadequately, can cause significant environmental impacts, such as soil degradation and loss of biodiversity. In this context, silvopastoral systems, which integrate trees, pastures, and livestock, emerge as a sustainable alternative, offering both ecological and productive benefits. In the Recôncavo Baiano region of Brazil, the forage species Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D. Webster stands out for its high adaptability and potential to improve soil quality under various management systems, including silvopastoral systems. Given this, the present study aimed to evaluate the production of Urochloa decumbens under a silvopastoral system in the Recôncavo Baiano, comparing it to conventional pasture management. The experiment was conducted at the Reunidas Gravatá Farm, in the state of Bahia, using a randomized block design with two main treatments: silvopastoral system (SSP) and conventional pasture (CP). Within the silvopastoral system, five sub-treatments (A, B, C, D, and E) were established to assess the influence of tree distance on forage accumulation. Sub-treatment A was located closest to the eucalyptus row, followed by sub-treatment B, immediately adjacent to A. Sub-treatment C was positioned at the midpoint between eucalyptus rows, followed by D, and finally sub-treatment E, located near the eucalyptus row on the opposite side. Forage samples were collected every 28 days over the course of one year to determine forage mass and dry matter content. Concurrently, a forest inventory was conducted at 40 months of age to characterize the arboreal component of the silvopastoral system. Sub-treatments B, C, and D within the silvopastoral system exhibited higher stocking rates, pasture height, and growth rates compared to the conventional pasture. These results suggest that tree integration in pasture systems can enhance the microclimate and promote forage development, thereby increasing the system’s carrying capacity. However, variables such as forage mass and biomass disappearance rate remained stable across systems, indicating that the adopted management practices have not yet triggered immediate changes in forage production and consumption dynamics. Additionally, the eucalyptus trees in the silvopastoral systems demonstrated potential for carbon sequestration.