In order to identifymethods of recuperation of degraded pastures in the Agreste of Pernambuco, anexperiment was conducted in the Fazenda Riacho do Papaguaio, municipial districtof São João. It was used a split-plot feature within a confoundedrandomized block design. The experimental treatments were four recovery managements(deferment, deferment + harrowing, deferment + harrowing + corn as a companioncrop, deferment + corn as a companion crop), two levels of nitrogen (0 and 100kg/ha of N), two levels of phosphorus (0 and 100 kg/ha of P2O5),totalizing 16 experimental treatments with three replications. The harvestingevaluation was taken after 138 days from implementation of the experimentaltreatments. A significant N and P2O5 interaction was observedwith marked increase in forage dry matter mass corresponding to the combinationof 100 kg/ha of N and P2O5. The deferment and deferment+ corn treatments resulted in higher forage mass yield as compared to the harrowingones. After 138 days of growth, there was an increase in the percentage of uncoveredsoil with plow use, while the opposite was true without the use of a plow. Plowingdid not demonstrate agronomic viability as a degraded pasture recuperation practice.Allowing the pasture to rest for 138 days during the rainy season promoted itsrecuperation, primarily with the combined application of nitrogen and phosphatefertilizers. The recovery of nitrogen and phosphate fertilized Brachiariadecumbens Stapf. was associated with decrease of other species.
