Uso de hidroretentor em mudas pré brotadas de cana de açúcar

Abstract

The planting system with pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings offers advantages over conventional planting, including greater tillering, reduction of planting material and greater uniformity. Furthermore, given the scarcity of water, the use of hydroretenants is being studied, which are polymers that expand significantly to retain water and improve efficiency in water use. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the use of a hydroretainer and different irrigation blades in the production of pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in the experimental area of the Agricultural Engineering and Sciences Campus of the Federal University of Alagoas, in the city of Rio Largo, AL. The design adopted was completely randomized, in a 4 x 2 mixed factorial arrangement, with four replications. The first factor consisted of water stress (50%, 75%, 100%, 125% of field capacity). The second factor was composed of two doses of the hydroretenant (0.25 g and 0.50 g per plant). Assessments occurred at 10, 20 and 30 days after transplantation (DAT) until 30 days DAT. The variables analyzed were: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, fresh mass of the aerial part, dry mass of the aerial part and root size. At 10 and 20 DAT, the greatest number of leaves was found at the 75% CC level, with the highest dose of water retainer. The root size at a dose of 0.25 g/plant was 30.45% higher compared to a dose of 0.5 g/plant. At 30 DAT there was an increase in the AP and NF components up to the level of 100% and 75% of CC, respectively, decreasing after these levels. The use of hydroretainer in the soil promoted a notable growth of sugarcane seedlings, standing out as a promising alternative in the cultivation of MPB.