MINERAL EVALUATION OF 2 LEUCAENA-LEUCOCEP HALA LAM DEWIT ECOTYPES UNDER DIFFERENT FERTILIZATION LEVELS

A research was conducted at ranch ''Los Angeles'', located in Rosario County at Perija, Venezuela, region characterized as a tropical dry fo rest and soil's with low fertility and pH of 5.6., presenting a natura l low fertility rate (0.8%,2ppm, 0.03me./100g, 1.20ppm, 0.80ppm and 0p pm de Mo, P, K, Ca, Mg and Al, respectively) The objective of the stud y was to evaluate the effect of different fertilization levels of N (0 , 30 and 60 Kg/ha) and P (0, 75 and 150 Kg/ha) on mineral content (lev els of Na, K, Mg, Ca, Zn y Mn) of two leucaena leucocephala ecotypes ( CIAT 7984 and CIAT 17223). The statistical design was a ramdomized spl it plot design with three replicates. The results obtained showed a hi gher (P<0.01) mineral content for ecotype CIAT-17223 in both fractions . N fertilization did not affect mineral level in the fine fraction, b ut Mg which decreased at 60 Kg N/ha. In the coarse fraction, K increas ed as N fertilization increased while Ca, Mg and Na content remained c onstant. P fertilization increased Mg, Mn and Zn levels in the fine fr action. Mineral content was increased (P<0.05) in the fine fraction wh en combining 0 Kg N/ha and 150 Kg P/ha as fertilization levels, howeve r for the coarse fraction mineral content was increased for the 30 Kg N/ha and 75 Kg P/ha.. For both ecotypes, fine fraction presented the h ighest levels of mineral accumulation. These levels were greater than the critical levels recommended for grazing animals.