QUALITY OF SOWING AND DEVELOPMENT OF MAIZE AS A FUNCTION OF BLACK OAT MANAGEMENT METHODS APPLIED IN DIFFERENT PERIODS BEFORE MAIZE SOWING

Silvane De Almeida Campos,Jeferson Giehl,Maurício Novaes Souza,João Carlos Cardoso Galvão,Emerson Trogello,Steliane Pereira Coelho,Luis Paulo Lelis Pereira,Tatiana Pires Barrella

doi:10.18512/rbms2020v19e1151

Abstract

The correct straw management in no-tillage system is necessary and has demonstrated to be an excellent alternative to improve sowing quality. Cover crop management periods may compromise the performance of planters and the productivity of the successor crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of black oat management methods, carried out in different periods before maize planting, on the quality of sowing and development of the crop. Two experiments were conducted in the municipality of Coimbra, MG: the first in 2013 and the second in 2016. Randomized block design was used in both experiments, in split-plot arrangement (4x3), with four replications. The plots consisted of four black oat management periods (21, 14, 7 and 0 days before sowing) and the subplots consisted of three black oat management methods (desiccated, rolled and cleared). The plants were managed in the flowering stage. The characteristics evaluated were: average, faulty, double and normal spacing between plants; sowing depth; emergence speed index; plant stand; and uniformity of plant development in V5 stage. In both experiments, the desiccated black oat presented lower emergence speed index, plant stand and uniformity of plant development. The mechanical managements of black oat, regardless of the period before maize planting, improve the quality of maize sowing, with significant reduction of faulty and double spacing, and promote proper plant development.

Highlights

Maize (Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important crops in the world (Silva et al, 2008), being cultivated in several regions and in different production systems (Silva et al, 2011)
Maize was cultivated in the previous seasons and, after harvesting, the crop residues were kept on the soil surface
By the time of black oat sowing, those crop residues were partially incorporated into the soil, during the area preparation by means of plowing and light harrowing operations

Summary

Introduction

Maize (Zea mays L.) crop is one of the most important crops in the world (Silva et al, 2008), being cultivated in several regions and in different production systems (Silva et al, 2011). The sowing process is an important activity in the crop implantation, special attention shall be given to the obtainment of suitable populations, at the recommended depth, with plants spaced equidistantly (Silva et al, 2017) and more uniformly developed (Weirich Neto et al, 2015). The total investment made will not translate into productivity gains (Silva et al, 2017) and may compromise the profitability of the maize crop (Ros et al, 2011). Problems such as double and faulty spacing are detected through irregularity in the longitudinal seed distribution in the row. In order for the sowing to be done efficiently, there must be straw cutting and soil breaking operations in the sowing row, opening and closing of furrows, uniform distribution of seeds and fertilizer on the soil, with the seeds being deposited at the correct depth in the furrow to ensure that the germination occurs and to obtain a proper and uniform plant stand (Santos et al, 2008; Vale et al, 2009; Almeida et al, 2010; Jasper et al, 2011)

Objectives

Methods

Results