WATER HYACINTH BIOMASS PRODUCTION IN MADRID

Studies were conducted to determine the production of biomass of the water hyacinth in Madrid. The production of biomass at ambient temperature during the warm months (from May to October) was 215 t wet wt ha-1 . year-1 equivalent 10.7 t dry wt . ha-1 . year-1. In the greenhouse, the production of biomass was 791 t wt ha-1 . year-1 equivalent 39.5 t dry ha-1 . year-1. During August the increase in weight was 361 kg . m-2 at ambient temperatures and in the greenhouse the greatest production was in September with 677 kg . m-2. To evaluate the nutritive value of the water hyacinth the biomass was fractionated to obtain a liquid fraction with 23.78% protein and a solid fraction with 5.61% protein. For animal food, it is necessary to use both fractions, solid and liquid. The protein content is 21.14% (dry weight), which is higher or at least equal to normally used green fodder.