Forage production of Tanzania grass under cutting intervals and potassium doses

The experiment was carried out in a field previously seeded in November of 1997, with Tanzania grass, at Lavras-MG, Brazil from August of 2001, to May of 2002, with the objective to evaluate the influence of four cutting intervals (4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks) and three K2O doses (0, 100 and 200 kg/ha) on growth and forage production of Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania 1. Soil analysis of the experimental area was made and a maintenance fertilization was done, by applying 150 kg/ha of N, as ammonium sulfate, 60 kg/ha of P2O5, as simple superphosphate, and 50 kg/ha of K2O, as potassium chloride. The treatments were combined in a factorial 4x3 design, in randomized blocks with four replications. Potassium fertilization was done in broadcast method between lines of tanzania grass, in two applications. Linear increments of tiller height and dry matter production of tanzania grass were observed by increasing the cutting intervals. The tiller density and the leaf/stem ratio were independent of the applied treatments.