Root traits of Panicum maximum Jacq. Cv. Tanzânia were evaluated in response to a nutritive solution with combinations of nitrogen and calcium rates. Ground quartz was used as substrate in an experiment carried out in a greenhouse in the spring, using a complete randomized block design, with four replications, in a fractionated 5² factorial scheme, with 13 combinations of nitrogen and calcium, in mmol/L: 2-0.5; 2-3.0; 2-5.5; 9-1.75; 9-4.25; 16-0.5; 16-3.0; 16-5.5; 23-1.75; 23-4.25; 30-0.5; 30-3.0, and 30-5.5. After the third harvest, grass roots were collected. Combination of high rates of nitrogen with low rates of calcium provided maximal dry matter yields and concentration of nitrogen in the roots. Critical levels of nitrogen and calcium in the roots of Tanzania grass were 11.07 and 1.30 g/kg, respectively. Significant correlation coefficients were found for dry mass, total length and total surface of the roots. Length and total surface and specific length and surface of the roots depend on the supply of nitrogen, but do not depend on the calcium supply. Calcium rates are determinant for this nutrient concentration in the grass roots.
forage grass; macronutrients; Panicum maximum; root system
