EFEITO DO MATRICONDICIONAMENTO INTEGRADO COM CONTROLE QUÍMICO E BIOLÓGICO NA EMERGÊNCIA DE PLÂNTULAS E NA PRODUTIVIDADE DE MILHO

One of the main reasons of low yield of corn (Zea mays L.) is seed quality which affects initial stand and plant density. The main objective of this work was to study seed quality and the integration of matriconditioning with chemical and biological seed treatments (Bacillus) on seedling emergence and yield of corn, under tropical conditions of Sete Lagoas, MG and under stressful conditions of Ponta Grossa, PR. Two trials were carried out at Embrapa Milho and Sorgo, Sete Lagoas, MG, in 1996 and 1998 and a third one was conducted at Embrapa SNT in Ponta Grossa, PR, in 1997. Seeds of hybrid corns were conditioned in the presence of Bacillus (600 mg kg-1 of seed) Bacillus+Captan and GA4+7 (100 μM). Two seed lots with germination of 95% and 85% were conditioned with MC and with MC+Bacillus 133 Efeito do matricondicionamento integrado com ... Revista Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo, v.2, n.3, p.132-142, 2003 at a rate of 20: 5: 20, at 22oC for 48 hours. Data were recorded for seedling emergence at 10 and 20 days, final stand, emergence rate, ear number ha-1, ear and grain yield per hectare. Initial seed quality affected the establishment and yield of corn; the integration of MC with chemical and biological seed treatments was effective in ameliorating seed quality and yield of corn, especially under stress conditions. Grain yield of corn did not respond to seed matriconditioning treatment with GA4+7 in Sete Lagoas, MG and the integration of matriconditioning with biological seed treatment was effective in improving the quality of seed lots.