EFFECTS DETASSELING METHODOLOGIES ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF HYBRID MAIZE SEED

• Main Authors: ALEXANDRE SILVA KOMATUDA, CARLOS MACHADO DOS SANTOS, DENISE GARCIA DE SANTANA, MOACIL ALVES DE SOUZA, CÉSIO HUMBERTO DE BRITO
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associação Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo 2006-12-01
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo
• Subjects: Zea mays; removed of tassel; hybrid corn; seed production
• Online Access: http://rbms.cnpms.embrapa.br/index.php/ojs/article/view/198/195
• ISSN: 1676-689X; 1980-6477

Due to the lack of research in mechanical detasseling, the present work was carried out to compare the manual and mechanical detasseling procedures. The detasseling influence on yield and seed quality was studied in AG 122 hybrid, produced by Monsanto do Brasil Ltda. This experiment was carried out in Cachoeirinha farm, at Caiapônia (GO), in the 2003/2004 growing season. The complete randomized-block experimental design was used, with six treatments and four replications. Treatments were comprised by six types of detasseling which were divided into four mechanical detasseling procedures (in the first three procedures, the machine’s tires were set to remove 50%, 75% and 90% of the tassels and the fourth had cutters applied to the second procedure (removal of 75% of the tassels with tires)) and two manual detasseling procedures (one with the removal of tassels only and the standard procedure, which consisted of removing tassels with four-to-five leaves). The mechanical detasseling caused more injuries to the upper leaves of the corn plant, leading to a 24.5% of seed yield reduction when the machine was regulated to remove 90% of the tassels with tires; the first manual procedure, i.e. the removal of tassel only, affected vigor of the flat seeds when compared to the standard procedure, but the procedures did not affect the germination and vigor of the round seeds.