Production and nutritional value of Mombaça grass with application of whey as an alternative nitrogen source

José Ricardo Mantovani,Belchior De Souza Costa,Jéssica Da Silva Bernardes,Gisele De Fátima Esteves

doi:10.33448/rsd-v11i4.27158

José Ricardo Mantovani, Belchior De Souza Costa + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v11i4.27158

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Abstract

Whey is a waste generated in large quantities in dairy industries, and its use in agriculture as a source of nutrients can be an appropriate destination. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of whey as a nitrogen source for production and nutritional value of Mombaça grass. The experiment was conducted in pots, in a randomized blocks factorial scheme with four replicates. The treatments consisted of 5 doses of whey (0; 100; 200; 300 and 400 mg dm-3 N) associated with 3 doses de N-urea (0; 100 and 200 mg dm-3 N). Portions of 7 dm3 soil were incubated with lime and phosphate fertilizer and, 15 days before the end of incubation, the doses of whey were applied. After incubation, sowing followed by thinning (four plants/pot) were carried out, and the doses of N-urea were divided into 3 applications. Three grass cuts were made and, after the first cut, the treatments doses of whey and N-urea were reapplied. Whey fertilization increased the number of tillers, shoot dry matter production and crude protein of Mombaça grass, and the increases obtained varied as a funcion of the grass cycle and the N-ureea dose. The agronomic efficiency index of whey with N source in relation to urea was, on average, 69%. The whey increases production and improves the nutritional value of Mombaça grass, being an efficient alternative source of N for the forage.

Highlights

Organic waste can change the chemical and physical properties of the soil, and its use in agriculture can be important from an environmental and economic point of view, favoring the sustainability of agricultural production systems (Carnier et al, 2019; Scheid et al, 2020).Whey is an organic waste generated in large quantities in dairy industries in the cheese production process, so that for each kilogram of cheese produced, 9 liters of this waste are obtained, it is estimated that, in Brazil, 7.2 million m3 of whey are generated annually (Braos et al, 2020)
Mombaça, a forage widely used in the formation of pastures in the tropical region, has a habit of upright cespitous growth, good climatic adaptation, high yield potential and nutritional value (Carvalho et al, 2017; Catuchi et al, 2019; Pereira et al, 2020)
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of whey as a nitrogen source for production and nutritional value of Mombaça grass

Summary

Introduction

Organic waste can change the chemical and physical properties of the soil, and its use in agriculture can be important from an environmental and economic point of view, favoring the sustainability of agricultural production systems (Carnier et al, 2019; Scheid et al, 2020).Whey is an organic waste generated in large quantities in dairy industries in the cheese production process, so that for each kilogram of cheese produced, 9 liters of this waste are obtained, it is estimated that, in Brazil, 7.2 million m3 of whey are generated annually (Braos et al, 2020). Whey is a source of K and N, and its use has provided increased levels of nutrients in the soil, in plant tissues and in the production of dry matter in plants such as Tanzania grass and maize (Gheri et al, 2003; Mantovani et al, 2015). The agricultural use of this organic waste can be an appropriate destination and a viable alternative, in areas close to the generation points, especially in pastures, intended for milk production. Studies are needed to evaluate the effect of this organic waste as a source of N exclusively or associated with other sources in forage grasses Given this context, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of whey as a nitrogen source for production and nutritional value of Mombaça grass

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