Application of biologicals in vinasse located in sugar cane generates increased productivity

Rich in potassium, nitrogen and organic matter, vinasse, which is also known as vinasse, tiborna or restilo, is a residue left after the fractional distillation of fermented sugar cane juice (garapa), to obtain ethanol. (ethyl alcohol). It is estimated that for every liter of fuel produced, 12 liters of vinasse are left as waste.

However, this byproduct, which has been used for a long time, bringing great agronomic benefits to the sugar-energy sector, has been gaining more and more relevance in sugarcane crops, serving as a vehicle to boost productivity. The localized application of vinasse, as the technique is called, involves distributing the vinasse homogeneously along the crop lines, promoting a significant increase in the areas covered by the application of the residue.

One of the reasons for the growth of this tool is that it allows more areas to receive the agronomic benefits of its composition. This is because in the traditional way of application, the vinasse needs to be taken to the field through channels and pipelines to be deposited in the spraying process. In localized form, a truck or tractor with a tank carries out the work, applying an average of 30m³ per hectare, on top of the sugarcane line. This homogenization improves the quality of the application when compared to the traditional way, in addition to offering greater safety to the environment, agronomic and financial gains.

The benefits of localized vinasse, however, are even greater, as explained by Gian Garcia, sales coordinator for the sugarcane segment at Biotrop - a Brazilian company among the leaders in the biological market. “At the time of its application, in addition to the irrigation (wetting) that it allows, improving the sprouting of ratoon crops, greater uniformity of development and high vigor of sugarcane, we can consider it as a vehicle for other products, apart from those that it already carries traditionally, such as potassium, nitrogen and organic matter”, he says. The professional refers to the possibility of adding biological products to the operation, optimizing the resource.

Compatibility

Not every product, whether chemical or biological, can be added to localized vinasse. But the sugar-energy sector already has options. Thinking about the convenience and increased productivity of its customers, Biotrop was a pioneer in announcing the compatibility of biological products for application in vinasse. According to Garcia, several of the company's technologies in the lines of bioinsecticides, bionematicides, hydrocapacitors, biofungicides, biostimulants, nitrogen fixers (FBN), nutrient solubilizers and against stresses (abiotic and biotic) have already been tested and have proven effective in the application of localized vinasse, enhancing management.

Differences in the formulation of Biotrop products, with modern and innovative compositions, enable this type of use, presenting: compatibility and guarantee of survival of microorganisms in aggressive media such as vinasse and in mixtures with chemical products; speed of action present in some of the company's technologies, which accelerates the activation of bacteria in the soil and the colonization of roots; and extended shelf life.

Results

In addition to laboratory verification, Biotrop teams have been monitoring plant areas in the management of localized vinasse since 2020. Robson Andreotti, the company's technical sales representative, highlights that today the areas that are not adhering to localized vinasse and optimizing operations with the use of biologicals “are failing to win”.

The first trials began in the Vale do Paranapanema region, in São Paulo, and the practice enriched with Biotrop bioinputs demonstrated an average increase of five to seven tons of sugar cane per hectare, spreading excellent results over the last two years for all over Brazil.

Andreotti adds that localized vinasse contributes an average of 120 kg of K2O per year, in other words, it is a way of helping operationally to allocate a by-product rich in this nutrient and reduce fertilization, reducing fertilizer costs. “In addition, it favors the reinforcement of pest and disease management with biologicals, reaching the target more easily”, concludes the sales representative.