Abstract
Seed vigor is a characteristic that determines potential for fast and uniform seedling emergence and establishment of crops. Such characteristic defines crop initial growth what could have direct and indirect effects on capacity of plants in capturing natural nutritive resources and intervene in their competition intra- and interspecific. Aiming at identifying and understanding the possible effects of seed vigor on crop initial growth a field experiment was performed during two years at University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil; using two seed lots at each year, which were previously characterized by tests of physiological potential as high and low vigor. Thus, five different ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) of seeds originating from seed lots with higher or lower vigor were used. Assessments were performed at the phenological stages of four and eight leaves by assessing plant height, stem diameter, and leaf area index. It was also observed that mean values for all variables assessed have increased according to increase of seeds with high vigor at planting row. Therefore, it is concluded that increased percentage of seeds with high vigor results in greater initial growth of cron crop until phenological stage of eight leaves.
Highlights
Seed vigor is defined as “seed properties that determines potential for fast and uniform emergence, and development of seedlings under a wide range of field conditions” (AOSA, 2002)
The initial growth of corn crop was assessed by plant height (Figure 1), stem diameter (Figure 2), and leaf area index (Figure 3) at the stages of four and eight leaves, and during the both experimental years
It was observed that for all of these parameters the addition of high vigor seeds within the seeding row resulted in a better development of plant population
Summary
Seed vigor is defined as “seed properties that determines potential for fast and uniform emergence, and development of seedlings under a wide range of field conditions” (AOSA, 2002). According to Hampton (2002), seed vigor has a high influence on establishment of initial population of plants as well as on their adequate development, what will affect crop yield. This way, low vigor seeds could diminish percentage of emerged seedlings and seedling emergence speed, initial growth, leaf area, and dry mass accumulation (Schuch et al, 2000). Differences in initial crop growth related to seed vigor are described in the literature for rice (Oryza sativa L.) (Hofs et al, 2004; Melo et al, 2006; Mielerzski et al, 2008), black oats (Avena strigosa Schreb.) (Schuch et al, 2000), corn (Zea mays L.) (Dias et al, 2010; Mondo et al, 2012a), and v. Merrill] (Vanzolini and Carvalho, 2002; Kolchinski et al, 2005; Kolchinski et al, 2006; Schuch et al, 2009; Dias et al, 2011)
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