DESEMPENHO DE LINHAGENS DE MILHO PARA PRODUÇÃO DE SEMENTES EM DIFERENTES ÉPOCAS DE SEMEIO

Abstract

Corn (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important products in the agricultural sector and currently occupies the first position among the most produced cereals in the world, with great importance for human and animal nutrition and raw material for industry. Brazil is the third largest corn producer, just behind the United States and China with an estimated production for the 2022/23 harvest of 127 million tons, which represents an increase of 12.5% in production, 3, 5% of planted area and 7.5% of productivity compared to the previous harvest. The project was carried out in the municipality of Montividiu-GO, in the 2022 harvest, evaluating 44 lines (twenty as female and twenty-four as male) in three sowing times. Agronomic characteristics and seed productivity of the lines were evaluated in the different sowing windows. The analysis of variance was significant with an overall average of 247.8 sc ha-1 (bags of 60,000 seeds) and a cv of 24.6%. The month of February was observed as the best time for female lines performance, with a significant productivity average of 345.4 sc ha-1 (60,000 seed bags) and lower pest and disease attacks. In relation to March, an average productivity of 150.2 sc ha-1 (bags 60,000 seeds) was obtained, the lines faced a transitional environment, with a drop in temperatures, an increase in pests and diseases, decreasing their productivity results. The last season, sown in April, did not develop, going through periods of cold, frost and high pest populations, where the lines died before starting the flowering stage. For the male lines, 17 of those evaluated were identified as a good pollinator for the February season and 11 for the March season.