QUALIDADE DE SEMENTES DE Panicum maximum JACQ. COLHIDAS COM MÉTODOS E PERÍODOS DE MATURAÇÃO DIFERENTES

Abstract

Among the existing forage grass species, Panicum maximum Jacq. It is one of the most used in animal production systems. Several factors can influence seed quality, including the harvesting method. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the quality of seeds after mechanized harvesting at different maturation periods. The experiment data were collected in a grass seed production area. The design used was completely randomized in a 3 x 3 factorial scheme, with three harvest periods and three ways of obtaining seeds, with 5 replications per treatment. The samples were collected manually, in the harvester's grain tank and after cleaning by the second machine. The quality of the seeds was evaluated through tests of physical purity, degree of humidity, mass of one thousand seeds, emergence of seedlings in sand, dry mass of seedlings, emergence speed index, cultural value and electrical conductivity, carried out in the Laboratory of Seed Analysis of IF Goiano – Ceres Campus. There was an improvement in seed quality in the cultural value variable. The final stage of the process, which involves processing, contributed to increasing the quality of the seeds in relation to physical purity. As the degree of maturation increased, there was an improvement in seed quality in the variables seedling emergence in sand and emergence speed index.