USE OF LEGUMES AS A TREE COMPONENT IN INTEGRATED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS: AN OVERVIEW OF SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

Integrated systems emerge as an alternative for ruminant production, as they provide environmental services and promote animal welfare. Due to the world scenario that is increasingly concerned with the environmentally appropriate production system, investing in new technologies is essential for the success of the exploration, and the inclusion of tree legumes plays a central role in improving the efficiency of these systems. Legumes contribute significantly to biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), a symbiotic process that allows the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into forms that can be assimilated by plants. This fixation reduces the need for nitrogen fertilizers, promoting the sustainability of the system. Therefore, the use of tree legumes in silvopastoral systems not only increases livestock productivity and reduces input costs, but also promotes agroecological integration that results in more resilient and sustainable systems, both economically and environmentally. In view of the above, the objective of this work is to provide information about the importance of integrated systems, especially in relation to the importance of legumes in these systems, focusing on ruminant production and its environmental impacts through a systematic literature review. 56 academic papers were selected on related topics in various means of technical and scientific production, such as articles published in journals, books, theses, among other types of technical papers available in the scientific community. Integrated systems have been adopted in tropical livestock production areas, and their benefits in thermal comfort and performance have been recognized and encouraged by scientific research due to the promotion of sustainability in the field.