Produção de forrageiras hibernais para ensilagem com uso de regulador de crescimento

Abstract

Livestock production in southern Brazil depends on strategies that ensure a year-round supply of forage. The use of winter forage crops for silage provides an alternative for production systems, offering high-quality roughage and mitigating the effects of seasonality. Management practices, such as the use of growth retardants, can alter the morphological and productive characteristics of plants, thereby influencing the quality of the material intended for silage. The present study, which included different winter forage crops black oats (Avena strigosa), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and rye (Secale cereale) aimed to evaluate the productivity and quality of silage produced with and without the use of a growth inhibitor. The experimental design was completely randomized, comprising three forage species, with and without the application of a growth inhibitor. The experimental area was divided into 12 plots, each measuring 10 m in length by 8.0 m in width. The species exhibited similar dry matter yields and accumulation rates. Black oats and rye had greater height and growth rates than wheat. In terms of structural composition, rye had a higher proportion of stems, while wheat had a higher proportion of leaves. The use of the growth inhibitor influenced only the pH value of the winter forage silage. Winter forage crops have proven to be viable alternatives for silage production in southern Brazil.