Native grass sod and plug production as an alternative technique to restore neotropical rupestrian grassland after mining

• DOI: 10.1111/rec.13966
• Publication Date: 2023-06-24T13:36:10Z
• Authors: Maurílio A. Figue...; Maria C. T. B. Me...; Mariangela G. P. ...; Alessandra R. Koz...
• Keywords: Litter; Spark plug

Despite the importance of grasses in structure and functioning tropical grasslands, there is still a lack efficient economically viable techniques to produce introduce restoration projects. Here, we evaluated sod plug‐plant production planting native grass from Brazilian rupestrian Sporobolus metallicolus , post‐bauxite mining. To sod, used post‐mining substrate its mixture with commercial substrate. Then, sowed 270 seeds S. on 4‐cm layer 144‐cm 2 trays. Eighty days after sowing, subdivided contents each tray (substrate + plant) into 4 × 3–cm plug‐plants. Plug‐plants were planted degraded area without incorporation litter an adjacent conserved grassland. We also cost plug‐plant. The substrates provided greater plant growth rooting, obtaining plug‐plants average 13 individuals, dry mass mg, estimated US$ 0.0045. In area, addition increased shoot biomass gain. Plant survival was 100% plants started seed dispersal at 7 months planting. plugs mixed post‐mined showed promising results reduced costs, indicating technical financial feasibility. presented can be option for introducing areas optimize use seeds.