Desempenho agronômico de variedades de milho para agricultura familiar indicadas para o município de Satuba AL

Abstract

Corn is one of the most important crops globally, both from an economic and social perspective, standing out as the most produced grain in the world. In contemporary times, there is an evident concern with ensuring that our production system aligns with sustainable development principles. The aim of this study was to evaluate six varieties of corn under conventional and producer-managed practices to identify a more productive variety for the municipality of Satuba, AL. The experiment was conducted in the field at IFAL/Satuba Campus. The plants were sown manually in furrows with a hoe, with a sowing depth of approximately 2 cm, spacing of 1.00 m between rows, and 0.20 m between plants, resulting in an experimental area of 15 m2. The treatments used consisted of the following varieties: Batité, Potiguar, Cruzeta, Gorutuba, BRS 5036, PV 3 Majestoso, and two types of management: conventional (technified) and producer-managed (without agricultural practices). Each treatment included four (4) replicates in a randomized block design. The means of each treatment were compared using Tukey’s test at a 5% probability level. The variables analyzed included: plant height (AP), stem diameter (DC), number of leaves (NF), number of grain rows (NFG), ear diameter without husk (DESP), ear length without husk (CESP), cob diameter (DS), grain length (CG), viable ears (EV), non-viable ears (ENV), total ears (TE), weight of a thousand grains (PMG), moisture (UMI), and yield (PROD). The results of this study indicate that all evaluated varieties showed satisfactory productivity for the region, with no significant differences among them, allowing flexibility in selecting any variety for cultivation in the region. Regarding the management practices evaluated, the conventional management, which included fertilization to meet the soil's nutritional demands, presented the best averages in variables such as DC, NFE, DE, CE, DS, CG, EV, TE, PMS, and PROD. In contrast, the producer-managed practice showed no significant differences, although the benefits of conventional management suggest an advantage in terms of productive efficiency.