Evaluation of maize hybrids conventional and transgenic (Bt), with different insecticide application, on second-crop

Abstract

Brazil is the third largest producer of corn (Zea mays L.) in the world, and this place could rise, due to the intensification and investments in technology. This work aims to evaluate the effect of the number of insecticide applications in Bt and conventional maize hybrids in the variables: plant height (cm), height of ear insertion (cm) and yield (kg ha-1), in no-tillage system, and it was used the same inputs and cultivation for all treatments. The experiment was conducted in plots divided in with randomized treatments, with 3 treatments and 4 replications. Each plot had one row of 6 m of length and 0.6 m of spacing within rows and plants spaced 0.2 m between plants in the “off season” in 2010, the city of Cascavel/PR, Brazil. By observing the behavior of the variables, it can be inferred that three applications had the highest values of plant height and productivity; for insertion, no differences were found with the treatments with one and three applications, however, outperformed treatment one two applications. The highest yield occurred in hybrid IMPACTO TL with 6205.75 kg ha-1.