Production of bioferments from agro-industrial sugarcane residues and their evaluation in greenhouse-grown Sugarcane

Abstract

Introduction. Sugarcane is one of the most relevant crops in Costa Rica due to its economic impact and territorial extension. The cost of fertilization affects the profitability of the crop, and the use of bioferments emerges as a sustainable alternative to improve crop nutrition and productivity. Objective. To evaluate the use of sugarcane agro-industrial residues as substitutes for mountain mulch in the preparation of bioferments and to analyze their effect on the growth and development of sugarcane plants. Materials and methods. Organic litter were prepared using sugarcane residues: leaves, leaves and bagasse, leaves and filter press mud, and leaves with bagasse and filter press mud. Using these organic litter and mountain litter, bioferments were produced and enriched with mineral salts at three levels (0%, 50%, and 100%). The bioferments were applied to sugarcane plants under greenhouse conditions, using a completely randomized design with 18 treatments and 10 repetitions. Physiological, nutritional, and microbial population variables were evaluated. Data were processed through analysis of variance (ANOVA), and mean comparisons were performed using the DGC test, with a significance level (α) of 0.05. Results. Microbial populations varied according to the matrix and salt dosage, with lactic acid bacteria being the most abundant. Bioferments without salts showed higher microbial populations, whereas enriched bioferments exhibited greater mineral concentration. Treatments with bioferments enriched at 50% salt dosage produced better results in plant height, leaf dry weight and stem diameter, surpassing conventional fertilization. Conclusion. Organic litter prepared with sugarcane residues could replace mountain litter in the production of bioferments similar to MM. Furthermore, the use of bioferments enriched with 50% salts could reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers, promoting more sustainable and efficient agriculture.