The effects of levels of nitrogen fertilizer 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400kg of nitrogen/ha, and cutting ages at 28, 42, 56 and 70 days on nitrogenous compounds of tropical grasses, Setaria grass (Setaria anceps Stapf), Limpo grass (Hemarthria altissima [Poir] Stapf. & Hubbard), California grass (Brachiaria purpurascens [Raddi] Henr.) and Nilo grass (Acroceras macrum Stpaf) were evaluated, using factor analysis. After reduction and evaluation of the total variation, three selected factors accounted for 85.60% of the total variation, the first factor was strongly associated with nitrogenous compounds of cell wall (fractions B3 and C), the second factor, was related to citoplasmatic protein and to fast and intermediary degradations rates (fraction B1+B2), while the third factor was related to nonproteic nitrogenous compounds (NPN) (fraction A). Cutting age affected nitrogenous compounds fractions of the grasses. The increase in cutting age resulted in a reduction of NPN fraction scores. The level of nitrogen fertilizer resulted in increases of NPN and B1+B2 fractions scores, however, no evident responses in other fractions were related to nitrogen fertilizer supply.
California grass; Limpo grass; Nilo grass; Setaria grass; factor analysis
