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As new cultivation techniques arise, crops require the development of new technologies and management practices that aim higher yields with lower production cost. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of co-inoculation and different ways of application of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Azospirillum brasilense and nitrogen fertilization on nodulation and yield of soybean. The experiment was established in November 2013 in an area located in the Iguatemi Experimental Farm, of State University of Maringá (UEM). The design was a randomized block with four replications. The treatments consisted of a control, fertilization with nitrogen (200 kg N ha-1), standard inoculation in seeds (liquid and peat inoculant), co-inoculation on seed and co-inoculation at sowing, using different doses of inoculant B. japonicum and A. brasilense. The following determinations were carried out in the field and in the laboratory: number of nodes at flowering, mass of nodules at flowering, the shoot dry mass, nitrogen content in the shoot, grain nitrogen content, number of pods/plant, thousand grain mass and yield. The results showed that inoculation through seed treatment with liquid inoculant presents an adequate option to farmers, in the conditions of this experiment. Nitrogen fertilization did not increase yield and yield components, being unnecessary.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate popcorn genotypes for resistance to the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. The experiment used a completely randomized design with 30 replicates. The popcorn genotypes Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Beija-Flor, Colombiana, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, Ufvm Barão Viçosa, Vanin, and Viviane were evaluated,along with the common maize variety Zapalote Chico. Newly hatched fall armyworm larvae were individually assessed with regard to biological development and consumption of food. The data were subjected to multivariate analyses of variance and genetic divergence among genotypes was evaluated through the clustering methods of Tocher based on generalized Mahalanobis distances and canonical variable analyses. Seven popcorn genotypes, namely, Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, and Viviane,were shown to form a cluster (cluster I) that had antibiosis as the mechanism of resistance to the pest. Cluster I genotypes and the Zapalote Chico genotype could be used for stacking genes for antibiosis and non-preference resistance.

This work aimed to study the effect of the Calophyllum brasiliense seed coat on the seed germination process. To this end, three experiments were conducted in laboratory, greenhouse and screenhouse. From a total of six treatments, five are related to the seed coat (mechanical scarification; mechanical scarification followed by 2 hours in water, chemical scarification, hot water immersion and complete seed coat removal) and one control. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design (CRD). Screenhouse experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design (RBD). We evaluated the total percentage, the speed index and the average time of germination or emergence. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared by LSD test, at 5%. Under the conditions of this work, it was possible to infer that, in laboratory, mechanical scarification followed by 2 hours in water increases the proportion and germination speed index (GSI), in the greenhouse, the complete seed coat removal increases the percentage and emergence speed index (ESI), and in the screenhouse, mechanical scarification followed by 2 hours in water and chemical scarification presented the best results. The average germination time was not significantly different in the three experiments evaluated.

Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate seed germination and vigor of maize subjected to different products and storage periods. The experimental design was completely randomized in a split plot on time. In the plots were distributed nine treatments: an untreated control, one treatment called “standard treatment”, with addition of fungicide (fludioxonil + metalaxyl-M) and insecticide (thiamethoxam). From the standard treatment, six treatments with combinations of inoculant (Azospirillum brasilense), micronutrients (nitrogen + potassium + zinc + boron + copper + iron + manganese + molibdenium) and bioregulator. Lastly, a treatment called “complete treatment” including all products. In subplots the storage periods of zero, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 90 days were evaluated. Seed vigour of maize was reduced by seed treatments and storage. Micronutrients addition resulted in higher fitotoxicity in comparison to the addition of other products, regardless of storage period. The treatment with the combination of fungicide, insecticide and inoculant proved to be feasible, and was the most promising seed treatments. None of the studied treatments affected the germination in up to 45 days of storage, however the complete treatment with 3200 mL .100 kg-1 reduced seed vigour.

ABSTRACT The number of sweet corn cultivars adapted to the climatic conditions and with agronomic traits recommended to the Brazilian market is still limited. Thus, the aim was to investigate the general and specific combining ability (GCA and SCA, respectively) in relation to the grain yield (GY) and total soluble solid (TSS) contents of seven lines of sweet corn (su1) and eight lines of supersweet corn (sh2) by diallel crosses. For TSS, the inbred lines SC6 and SC7 of sweet corn, and SSC7 and SSC8 of supersweet corn showed higher GCA effect. For GY, the inbred lines SC1 and SC2 of sweet corn and SSC4 and SSC6 of supersweet corn showed higher GCA effect. For TSS in sweet corn, the hybrids '4 × 6' and '1 × 7' showed the superior Ŝij estimates across all evaluated environments. For GY, the hybrid '5 × 7' was the most relevant because it showed higher Ŝij estimates in most of the evaluated environments. Additionally, the hybrids '1 × 4', '3 × 4', and '1 × 7' showed positive Ŝij values across all environments. In supersweet corn, the hybrids '2 × 8', '3 × 6', and '5 × 6' should be selected as the most promising for both traits (TSS and GY), because they presented positive and high Ŝij estimates across the six environments.

The objective of this work was to investigate, before and after chemical treatment, the interrelationships of the physiological quality tests in wheat grains. Following the chemical treatments with (i) carboxin thiram; (ii) carboxin thiram + thiamethoxam; (iii) carboxin thiram + thiamethoxam + bio-stimulant; (iv) pyraclostrobin + methyl thiophanate + fipronil, and (v) pyraclostrobin + methyl thiophanate + fipronil + bio-stimulant, subsequently the grains were assessed for their physiological potential. The physiological potential of the grains could be differentiated based on the electrical conductivity, seedling growth, and emergence in sand tests. In conclusion, the use of the active ingredients changed the correlation between laboratory tests with crop emergence in the sand as well as altered the relevance of the tests for sorting the treated grains into different physiological potential. But, the seedling growth tests and the electrical conductivity were, together, the parameters most relevant for explaining the data variability.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of industrial seed treatments on the physiological potential of soybean seeds over storage. Four mixtures of agrochemical products in association with two fertilizers were tested. The agrochemical product mixtures were carbendazim/thiram + imidacloprid/thiodicarb; pyraclostrobin, thiophanate-methyl, and fipronil; thiophanate-methyl/fluazinam + bifenthrin/imidacloprid; and metalaxyl-m/fludioxonil + thiamethoxam. The two fertilizers were 7% N, 16% P2O5, 0.6% Co, and 2.5% Mo; and 1% Co, 10% Mo, and 7% P2 O5. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design in a split-plot arrangement in time, with four replications. The treatments were allocated in the plots, while the storage periods (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days) constituted the split-plots. The following tests were carried out in each period: first count of germination, germination, accelerated aging, emergence speed index in sand substrate, and final seedling emergence in sand substrate. Seed germination and vigor declined over the storage period, especially after industrial treatment. Pesticide mixtures of a carbendazim/thiram fungicide base and an imidacloprid/thiodicarb insecticide base most impaired seed physiological potential throughout storage, regardless of fertilizer use in the industrial treatment.

Abstract: Although accelerated aging is one of the tests most used for evaluation of the physiological quality of soybean seeds, there are few studies that relate it to other physiological tests used for the crop. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of accelerated aging to the results of physiological performance obtained in the vigor tests most frequently used in the soybean quality control system (germination, first count, seedling vigor classification, accelerated aging, electrical conductivity, emergence speed index, final emergence in sand substrate, and field emergence). The experiment was conducted with seeds that had different vigor levels, adopting a completely randomized experimental design with four replications. Pearson simple correlation analysis (r) and simple linear regression analysis at both 1% and 5% probability were conducted on the data. The results showed that the seedling vigor classification test (r = 0.9160) and the field emergence test (r = 0.9198) were those that best correlated with accelerated aging, followed by the germination (r = 0.8690), first count of germination (r = 0.8460), and electrical conductivity (r = 0.8912) tests.

Abstract: This study aimed to compare the results of germination, vigor, and yield of high- and low-vigor soybean seeds submitted to on-farm application of biostimulant with its application via industrial treatment 60 days before sowing. The experimental design was a factorial arrangement of 6 × 2 × 2 (technology × vigor level × strategy of biostimulant application) for the laboratory experiment and of 6 × 2 (technology × strategy of biostimulant application) for the field experiment. Germination, accelerated aging, emergence in sand, seedling dry biomass, and electrical conductivity were assessed in the laboratory, while stand, one thousand-grain weight, and yield were assessed in the field. Biostimulant application in soybean seeds not coated with pesticides did not affect the physiological quality regardless of the application moment (at the day of sowing or at 60 days before sowing). However, when applied in seeds coated with fungicides and insecticides, better results of germination, vigor, and yield were obtained with the on-farm use of biostimulant.