Hidrogel como condicionador de substrato para produção de mudas pré brotadas de cana - de - açúcar

Abstract

The use of pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings has advantages over the traditional planting method, such as an increase in the number of tillers and greater uniformity, and the type of substrate used in production influences plant development. Given the existing climatic adversities, the technique of adding hydrogel as a soil conditioner aims to increase water retention capacity and promote water use efficiency through gradual release in substrates for seedlings. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the use of hydrogel polymers and different substrate uses in the production of sugarcane seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Campus of the Federal University of Alagoas, located in Rio Largo, AL. The design was entirely randomized in a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement, with four repetitions, factor 1 (SUB1 = earthworm compost and SUB2 = plant soil + manure). Factor 2 was five doses of the hydrogel (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 g L-1 ). The evaluations occurred every 7 days after transplanting (DAT) until 35 DAT and were analyzed the number of leaves, plant height, stem diameter, fresh mass of the aerial part and dry mass of the aerial part. Until 21 DAT, the variables number of leaves, plant height and stem diameter showed a linear behavior, presenting the highest values at the dose of 40 g L-1. The worm humus was more efficient than the substrate formed by vegetal soil + manure in the height of the plant of sugar cane 21 and 35 DAT. At 35 DAT the treatment with humus was superior until the dose of 20 g L-1, and from this dose, the substrate vegetal soil + manure obtained higher values.

Keywords: Saccharum spp, hydrogel, soil conditioner.