Efeito isolado e combinado de Pratylenchus brachyurus e Fusarium verticillioides no desenvolvimento de dois híbridos de milho

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of Pratlenchus brachyurus and Fusarium verticillioides, and their relationship, on growth and development of two mayze hybrids (30F80 and 30K73). The experiment was conducted in greenhouse conditions at Pioneer Hi-bred Research Center in Itumbiara, GO, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with 15 treatments and 10 replications. Treatments included a non-inoculated control; inoculation of Fusarium in the seed and in the soil; three populations levels of Pratylenchus at sowing and at 30 days after planting (50, 100 and 500 nematodes/plot), with and without the inoculation of Fusarium in the soil; and three populations leves of Pratylenchus inoculated 30 days after sowing with Fusarium inoculated in seed at sowing. At plant maturity the following variables were evaluated: plant height and ear length, stalk diameter, root fresh and dry matter, stalk fresh and dry matter, reproduction factor and fusariosis severity on the stalk. Fusarium stalk colonization was evaluated in a scale from 1 to 9. The 30F80 hybrid had lower plant height and ear length, stalk diameter, stalk and root fresh matter when the seeds were inoculated with the suspension of Fusarium and sowing immediately after inoculation. The maize hybrids 30F80 and 30K73, showed the lowest root length, stalk fresh and dry matter, and root fresh and dry matter mainly when the soil was inoculated with Fusarium and sown in the same day, and the inoculation with 500 juveniles and/or adults of Pratylenchus, was done 30 days after sowing. The maize hybrid 30K73 obtained lower plant height and ear length when seeds were inoculated with the suspension of Fusarium and sown in the same day. Maize seeds inoculated with Fusarium verticillioides at planting decreased plant height, ear length, and root and shoot fresh weight on both hybrids. Stalk diameter of 30K73 hybrid and root length of hybrid 30K73 were also reduced. Soil inoculation of Fusarium verticillioides at planting and Pratylenchus brachyurus inoculated 30 days after planting (500 nematodes/plot) decreased root elongation and stalk, and root dry weights on both hybrids. However, plant height was only reduced on 30K73 hybrid. Future research is needed to better understand the relationship between Pratylenchus brachyurus and Fusarium verticillioides on maize growth and development.