Distribuição de sementes de milho (Zea mays) com diferentes semeadoras e velocidades de plantio

Abstract

The plantability of a crop is a major factor in obtaining high yields, in such a way that this aspect is directly influenced by factors such as the type of equipment and velocity. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of two no-tillage seeder-fertilizers, in the distribution of corn seeds, in relation to different displacement velocity. The study was carried out on a farm in the municipality of Vitorino – PR, in a completely randomized design with four replications and a 2 x 4 factorial design, with two types of seeders (with mechanical meter and with pneumatic meter) and four sowing speeds (3, 5, 7 and 9 km h-1). Two Planti-Center® fertilizer seeders were used, model Terraçu's Premier 13,000 G-5, with 0.5 m spacing between rows, one equipped with a pneumatic feeder model Selenium (J.ASSY) and the other with a manufactured mechanical feeder by the Planti Center company. Corn seeds of cultivar AS 1666 were used, aiming at a plant population of 80,000 plants to hectare and four seeds to linear meter. The sowing was done in a sand box of 30 meters long, removing the furrow closing system from the seeders for better visualization of the distribution. After sowing, the seeds of each treatment were collected and submitted to a germination test. The following evaluations were carried out: germination (GERM), spacing average between plants – EM, percentage of normal spacing – EN, faulty – EF and double – ED and number of seeds per meter (SEM). Data were subjected to analysis of variance and when significant differences were observed (p<0.05), the means of seeders were subjected to the F test, while for the displacement speed factor, a polynomial regression analysis was performed. It was concluded that the germination of corn seeds was not affected by sowing with different types of seeder and sowing speed and that the use of the seeder with mechanical meter resulted in an increase in the percentage of faulty spacing and a decrease in the total seeds deposited by hectare. Furthermore, the increase of the sowing speed proved an increase in the average spacing between plants and in the percentage of faulty spacing and a decrease in the percentage of normal spacing. For the mechanical seeder, the increase in sowing speed caused a significant linear decrease in the number of maize seeds deposited per hectare, while the pneumatic seeder provides a greater amount of seeds per hectare compared to the mechanical seeder, but even so, it was below the desired amount.