Abstract
ABSTRACT Harvesting time is one of the main factors that influences grain quality, largely due to their exposure to biotic and abiotic factors during pre-harvest. As such, this study aimed to assess corn grain quality in response to different harvesting times in the municipality of Campo Novo do Parecis, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. A randomized block design was used with a strip-plot scheme, consisting of three corn hybrids (NS90 PRO, NS92 PRO 2 and BG7439), five harvesting times (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after physiological maturity - DAPM), with three repetitions. The variables grain yield, 1000 grain weight, bulk density, electrical conductivity and proximate composition were analyzed at each of the proposed harvesting times and lipid composition was assessed only at 0 and 28 DAPM. Data were submitted to ANOVA, regression analysis and Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Delayed harvesting influenced all the variables studied, except ash concentration. The longer the grains remain on the plant after physiological maturity, the worse the grain yield and their physical, chemical and nutritional quality.
Highlights
Corn (Zea mays L.) is the second most widely produced crop in Brazil, with estimated production of 100.6 million metric tons in the 2019/2020 growing season over an area of 18.4 million ha
A randomized block design was used with a strip-plot scheme, consisting of three corn hybrids (NS90 PRO, NS92 PRO 2 and BG7439), five harvesting times (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after physiological maturity - DAPM), with three repetitions
The experiment was conducted from March to August 2017 in the experimental area of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Mato Grosso, in Campo Novo do Parecis, Mato Grosso state (MT), Brazil (13o 40’ 41’’ S and 57o 53’ 31’’ W, at 569 m above sea level)
Summary
Corn (Zea mays L.) is the second most widely produced crop in Brazil, with estimated production of 100.6 million metric tons in the 2019/2020 growing season over an area of 18.4 million ha. The quality of agricultural products is governed by genetic and non-genetic factors, primarily those related to crop treatments during development in the field, harvesting and storage (Weber, 2005; Panison et al, 2016). Among these factors, delayed harvesting influences post-harvest grain quality and directly affects agronomic performance (Panison et al, 2016) as well as the microbiological quality of corn grains (Costa et al, 2018). Considering the above, the aim of this study was to assess the effect of delayed harvesting on the physical, chemical and nutritional quality of corn grains
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