Resumen

NAVARRO D, Luís  y  TORRES, Aníbal. Effect of phosphorus and calcium fertilization on growth, dry matter yield and protein contents of Albizia lebbeck cultivated at savanna conditions. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2005, vol.23, n.4, pp.363-372. ISSN 0798-7269.

It was evaluated the effect of three levels of Ca (0, 300, and 600 kg/ha de CaO) and three levels of P (0, 40, and 80 kg/ha P₂O₅) on plant growth, dry matter (DM) yield, and foliar crude protein (FCP) of Albizia lebbeck, in an Oxisol of the Mesa de Guanipa, Venezuela, through a split plot design, with two factors and four repetitions. Population was 2500 plant/ha. Height and stem diameter was evaluated from transplant to 14 months. DM yield and FCP were evaluated for two years, during the rainy and dry seasons, after uniformity cut 80 cm above ground, when plants were 18 months old. The average height was 2.0 m, and it was influenced only by P effect (P£ 0.001), being 80 P₂O₅ kg/ha the best level. No significant differences were found for Ca and P effect on stem diameter, whose mean was 3.7 cm. DM yield showed significant effects of Ca (P£ 0.003), P (P£ 0.0001), seasons (P£ 0.0001), and the interaction Ca x season (P£ 0.002), and P x season (P£ 0.02). DM yield was 1103 and 392 kg/ha during the rainy and dry season, respectively. Significant differences for Ca effect on DM yield were found only for the rainy season, being the highest level of 600 kg/ha. However, P effect showed significant differences (P<0,001) in both seasons, and 80 kg/ha of P2O5 was the best level. FCP content and protein yield were 23.9% and 394 kg/ha, respectively.

Palabras clave : Albizia lebbeck; leguminous shrub; savanna; phosphorus; calcium.