Title:	Performance of organic waste containers for Libidibia Ferrea seedling production.
Authors:	RAMOS, J. F. K. FERREIRA, A. C. C. FRANCISCO, G. C. BENITES, V. de M. ARTHUR JUNIOR, J. C.
Affiliation:	JÉSSICA FRANCIELE KAMINSKI RAMOS, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO; ANA CLARA CASTRO FERREIRA, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL RURAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO; GABRIEL CARLOS FRANCISCO, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO; VINICIUS DE MELO BENITES, CNPS; JOSÉ CARLOS ARTHUR JUNIOR, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL RURAL DO RIO DE JANEIRO.
Date Issued:	2026
Citation:	Floresta e Ambiente, v. 33, e20250047, 2026.
Description:	The proper use of agro-industrial waste is a sustainability strategy and can be applied in the forestry chain to replace polypropylene tubes. This study evaluated the performance of three different biodegradable containers (110 cm3), made from malt bagasse, poultry litter, and coconut coir fiber, respectively, in the production of Libidibia ferrea seedlings, and compared them with the control container (polypropylene) under nursery conditions. Morphological parameters and the Dickson Quality Index (DQI) were evaluated. Seedlings grown in malt bagasse showed superior growth in all morphological parameters (p < 0.01) and the highest DQI (0.23), significantly surpassing the other treatments. Malt bagasse provided total biomass gains (TBM) up to 6 times higher than polypropylene. Poultry litter and coconut coir fiber containers showed comparable performance to polypropylene. It is concluded that malt bagasse is a highly efficient technical and sustainable alternative container for producing L. ferrea seedlings.
Keywords:	Agro-industrial waste Biodegradable containers Sustainability Circular economy Forestry nurseries Residuo agroindustrial Sustentabilidade Economia circular
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8087-FLORAM-2025-0047
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPS)