Crescimento de mudas pré brotadas de cana-de-açúcar com uso de condicionadores de solo sob diferentes lâminas de irrigação

Abstract

The planting system using pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings offers advantages over conventional planting, including increased tillering, reduced planting material, and greater uniformity. Moreover, in the face of water scarcity, the use of water-retaining agents is being studied. These are polymers that significantly expand to retain water and improve water use efficiency. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the use of soil conditioners and different irrigation levels in the production of pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the experimental area of the Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Campus of the Federal University of Alagoas, in the city of Rio Largo, AL. A completely randomized design was adopted, in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, with five replications. The first factor consisted of soil conditioners (S1 – no conditioner; S2 – soil + rock powder; S3 – soil + water-retaining polymer). The second factor was irrigation levels (50% and 100% of field capacity – FC). Evaluations were carried out at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after transplanting (DAT). The variables analyzed were: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, fresh shoot mass, dry shoot mass, and root length. Water stress significantly influenced the number of leaves and fresh shoot mass of the seedlings, indicating sensitivity to water availability. However, plant height and stem diameter did not show statistically significant variations. The use of substrates with rock powder and water-retaining polymer contributed to greater growth stability, even under water deficit conditions.