Curva de desidratação da fitomassa forrageira da alfazema brava Hyptis suaveolens Point.

Abstract

Curva de desidratação da fitomassa forrageira da alfazema brava Hyptis suaveolens Point. The aim of this study was to determine the dehydration curve and leaf:stem ratio of Hyptissuaveolens (L) poit., to improve its use as hay.The plants were in the periods of bud sprouting, flowering and fruiting, and the average height was 73cm. Samples whose stem diameters had 3,8 to 5mm were collected, cut, had stem and leaves separated,were put in paper bags and subject to dehydration process. The process consists in drying the material in a chamber with forced air flow at the temperature of 42ºCfor 87 hours until constant mass. The dehydration curve was obtained based on the weighing time interval.During the first hours of dehydration, the mass lossis higher, but it tends to stabilize after 28 hours in the entire plant.