Abstract

BIRGI, J.A; GARGAGLIONE, V  and  UTRILLA, V. El forraje verde hidropónico como una alternativa productiva en Patagonia Sur: Productividad y calidad nutricional de dos variedades de cebada (Hordeum vulgare). RIA. Rev. investig. agropecu. [online]. 2018, vol.44, n.3, pp.316-323. ISSN 1669-2314.

The main agricultural activity of Santa Cruz province, in southern Argentina, is extensive livestock production. The severe weather of the area means that food is scarce in winter or in other critical periods of livestock management, such as mating and calving. To solve this, ranchers usually have to buy hays of grass that come from the north of the country. In this context, the production of green forage hydroponics (GFH) can be an alternative to obtain a high quality fodder in the area. GFH is a technology that allows the production of fodder in a greenhouse, in aqueous medium, without the need for soil. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity and quality of a GFH of two varieties of barley (Hordeum vulgare): Mariana INTA and Josefina INTA growing under different light intensities. No significant differences were found in production between varieties of barley, yielding both ca. 18 and 21 kg/m2 of GFH. Likewise, no significant differences were found according to the amount of light received, where plants growing in the inferior level of light had the same performance that plants growing in the upper level. In contrast, significant differences were found in quality of the GFH between varieties, being Josefina which had the best values with 70, 47, 21 y 2.8% of digestibility, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and lignin, respectively. With respect to crude protein, both varieties had good values, around 18-19%. Results from this study indicate that barley GFH production is feasible in this high latitude zone of Patagonia, having high yields and a good forage quality. In addition, the GFH can be obtained in low light intensities, so it can be produced below another hydroponic culture, diversifying the greenhouse incomes. In conclusion, barley GFH production can be a good alternative to provide food to livestock in the area and to diversify current greenhouse production.

Keywords : Greenhouse; Intensive culture; Livestock production.

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