Soro de leite em substituição à solução nutritiva no cultivo da forragem de milho hidropônico

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity and nutritional efficiency of hydroponic forage maize cultivated in whey as nutrient solution. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse in an entirely randomized experimental design with six treatments and five replications and a control nutrient solution, conventionally employed in this type of cultivation. The other treatments were distributed in different levels of dilution of whey in tap water to get the concentrations of whey at levels of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%. Measurements of pH and EC were performed daily. The harvest was done 15 days after germination, being roots plus substrate separated from the shoots. The weight of fresh matter, dry matter, the levels of macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) and micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn), in addition to Na and Cl of both the shoot and roots were determined. The increase in concentrations of whey promoted reduction in yield of hydroponic forage, increase in levels of N, S and Zn, decrease of K, Ca and Mg and no effect on levels of P, Fe and Cu in the shoot. The levels of P, K, Ca, Mg, S and Cu in the roots were increased. There was no effect on the levels of Zn and Fe.