Performance of Tree Species and Pastures in Silvopastoral Systems in the State of Pará, Brazil

Abstract

Proposing economic and ecological land-use alternatives has been a great challenge for agricultural research in the Brazilian Amazon. The silvopastoral systems (SPS) are promising to integrate trees in the livestock production system and reclaim degraded pastures in the Amazon region. In Municipality of Paragominas, State of Pará, nine SPS composed by combination of three tree species (Schizolobium amazonicum, Bagassa guianensis and Eucalyptus tereticornis), planted in 6 m-lane, spaced by 12 m - and three pastures (Brachiaria brizantha, B. humidicola and Panicum maximum / dictioneura B. dictyoneura), planted in the inter-lane space. Steers grazed the one-hectare experimental parcels simulating a rotational grazing system with 14 days - grazing period and 42 days - rest period, and was evaluated during August 1990 to November 1991. From the tree and pasture management point of view, the more promising silvopastoral combinations were, respectively, S. amazonicum - B. brizantha and E. tereticornis - B. brizantha.