Nutritive value of Coastcross-1 inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the forage yield rate and nutritive value of Coastcross-1 inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense and fertilized with different levels of nitrogen subjected to cut. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replications, in a factorial scheme. The factors were the inoculation (without inoculation, inoculated just in the implantation and reinoculated in the second year), levels of nitrogen (0, 100 and 200kg/ha/year of N) and periods of the year. Forage yield rate and botanical composition; morphological composition, crude protein content, in situ digestibility of organic matter and the total digestible nutrients of Coastcross-1 were evaluated. Inoculation increased the forage yield rate, Coastcross-1 contribution and production of total digestible nutrients, when the pasture was not fertilized with N. There was reduction in Coastcross-1 crude protein content when fertilized with 200kg/ha/yr of N. The inoculation has a positive effect on Coastcross-1 not submitted to nitrogen fertilization.