Agronomic performance and yield components of soybean cultivars in two sowing dates in the region of caiuá sandstone

Abstract

This work was conducted with the aim of assessing the agronomic performance and yield components of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) cultivars in two sowing dates and three crop seasons in the Caiuá Sandstone region. The evaluated cultivars were BRS 255 RR, CD 202, CD 214 RR, BRS 232, BRS 246 RR, CD 208, BRS 262 and CD 218 in three crop seasons (2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008) settled in two sowing dates (10/27 and 11/10). The trials were arranged in randomized block design, with four replications. The agronomic characteristics and yield components assessed were: number of days for maturation, insertion height of the first pod, number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight and grain yield. The first sowing date favored increasing the number of days for maturation of virtually all agricultural cultivars in three crop seasons, compared with the second sowing date. For all the evaluated cultivars the insertion height of the first pods was below the recommended value for mechanical harvesting for the two sowing dates in all vintages, with the exception of the second sowing date in the first agricultural year. The mass of a hundred seeds and grain yield were higher in the first crop season. BRS 246 RR cultivar was the most productive in both sowing dates in first agricultural year evaluated. The longest cycle cultivars and later sowing dates furthers the performance of the yield components in the region of Caiuá Sandstone.