Perda de umidade de colmos de BRS Capiaçu (Pennisetum purpureum Schum) encapsulados com ceras natural e mineral.

BRS Capiaçu cultivar is considered one of the most important forage crops, being cultivated in almost all tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The objective was to evaluate the ability of natural and mineral waxes to reduce moisture loss in BRS Capiaçu culms in different cut periods. The experimental design was in completely randomized blocks with six treatments based on different types of wax and paraffin and three weighing periods after encapsulation (7, 14 and 21 days). It was observed that in period 1 the greatest weight loss was for treatment 01 (7.05g), with no statistical difference between the other treatments. For period 2, there was no statistical difference (P>0.005) for weight loss between treatments. In relation to period 3, treatments 01; 02; 03 and 04 were statistically equal. Treatments 05 and 06 did not differ statistically between them. It is concluded that treatments 5 and 6 are inefficient in preventing the loss of moisture from the stalks.