Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb. SEED YIELD BASED ON ROW SPACINGS AND HARVESTING TIME. RIO GRANDE DO SUL. BRASIL. 1999-2000.

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to evaluate under hydromorphic soil conditions, at Experimental Station of low lands (EMBRAPA), Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb. seed yield. Treatments consisted of four rows spacings (15, 30, 45, 60 cm) and eight seed harvesting date with seven days interval. The first harvest was at January 28, 2000, when the first pod, legumes appeared. A split plot complete randomized block designs was used, with three replications. With row spacing a linear increase occurred for pods number/plant, seed number/plant, weight of 100 seeds and germination percentage and decrease in plant number/area. Seed yield was not influenced by row spacing. Quadratic effects for harvesting dates were observed on: a) legumes number/plant with maximum of 17.2 pods/plant at 29 days after appearance of first ripe legumes; b) seeds number/plant, with maximum of 201 at two days; c) germination percentage, with a maximum of 55% at the 5^th days; d) IVG, maximum of 14.5 at the 4^th day. Maximum 100 seeds weight was reached at 16 days and maximum yield of 180.3 kg/ha was obtained at 15 days, after the appearance of first pod legumes. Harvest date resulting in higher seed yield, with nearly maximum germination percentage and vigor, occurred at 15-16 days after first pod legume appearance, or approximately 30 days after flowering onset of plants.