Bromatological Composition of Elephant Grass Genotypes for Bioenergy Production
Henrique Guimarães de Favare
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
Joadil Gonçalves de Abreu
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
Livia Vieira de Barros
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
Felipe Gomes da Silva
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
Luis Miguel Mendes Ferreira
University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.
Marco Antônio Aparecido Barelli
University of the State of Mato Grosso, Cáceres, Brazil.
Inácio Martins da Silva Neto
University Center of Várzea Grande, Várzea Grande, Brazil.
Carlos Eduardo Avelino Cabral
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
Wender Mateus Peixoto *
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
Francisco Ildefonso da Silva Campos
Company of Research, Assistance and Rural Extension of Mato Grosso, Várzea Grande, Brazil.
Francisco José da Silva Ledo
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Juiz de Fora (MG), Brazil.
Vanessa Quitete Ribeiro da Silva
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Sinop (MT), Brazil.
Carlos Alberto Silva Junior
Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aimed to evaluate the bromatological composition of different genotypes of elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) to energy production through combustion. The experimental design was a randomized block with 3 repetition and the treatments arranged in a subdivided plots scheme, considering as a plots the thirteen genotypes and harvests (dry and rainy) as subplots. The genotypes evaluated were Cubano Pinda, Porto Rico, Vrukwona, Piracicaba 241, Cuba 116, Taiwan A-25, Mecker, Napier, Canará, Guaçu, Cameroon, CNPGL 93-41-1 and CNPGL 91-25-1 clones. The experiment lasted two consecutive years with harvests made every 6 months, with a harvest in the dry season (September) and another one in the rainy season (March), totaling 4 harvests. For dry matter content analysis, three tillers were selected at random and dried in an oven at 55ºC until reaching a constant mass. For biomass quality analysis, the samples were ground in Willey type mills with 1 mm sieves, submitted to bromatological analysis to determine the neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, hemicellulose, volatile materials, and fixed carbon content. Higher levels of dry matter (greater than 44.4%), acid detergent fiber (greater than 44.8%), volatile matter (greater than 94.3%) and higher calorific value (greater than 3,450 kcal kg-1) occur in the dry period of the year and in genotypes Mercker, Piracicaba 241, Guaçu and BRS Canará genotypes.
Keywords: Bioenergy, combustion, fiber content, volatile material, fixed carbon.