Abstract

SOTO-BRAVO, Freddy  and  RAMIREZ-VIQUEZ, Carolina. Effect of mineral nutrition on the yield and bromatological characteristics of corn hydroponic green forage. Pastos y Forrajes [online]. 2018, vol.41, n.2, pp. 106-113. ISSN 2078-8452.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of mineral nutrition, applied through nutritional solutions, on the fresh yield (FY) and bromatological characteristics of corn hydroponic green forage (HGF). The study was conducted in a greenhouse located in the Agricultural Research Station Fabio Baudrit Moreno, Alajuela, Costa Rica. Two treatments of nutritional solution were applied: 1) with high (N_h), and 2) with low (N_l) concentration of mineral nutrients, and a control with water (Te), distributed in an unrestricted randomized design. The seed was selected; prepared through washing, disinfection, imbibition, draining and aeration; it was pregerminated in humidity chamber (3 days) on plastic trays (density of 3 kg m^-2); and was transferred to the greenhouse, where it remained during 11 days until harvest. In general, no significant differences were found among the treatments, and the average values were: 15,3 kg m^-2 of FY; 20,01 % of crude protein; 18,95 % of crude fiber; 1,48 % of lignin; 44,27 % of neutral detergent fiber; 0,96 % of nitrogen of the neutral detergent fiber; 22,09 % of acid detergent fiber; 0,24 % nitrogen of the acid detergent fiber; 4,5 % of ash; 7,44 % of ether extract; 88,6 % of dry matter digestibility; and 3,2 Mcal kg DM^-1 of metabolizable energy. It is concluded that the application of mineral nutrients through nutritional solution did not affect the fresh yield or bromatological indicators, and the potential of utilization of the corn hydroponic green forage as feeding source in animal production was proven.

Keywords : digestibility; crude protein; nutritional solution; nutritional value.

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