Corn performance with late sowing in Planalto Catarinense, Brazil, simulated with CERES-maize model

Abstract

This work had the objective to investigate the delay effects in the sowing date on corn establishment, cycle duration and yield through the computer simulations using CERES-Maize model, in order to help agrarian producers from the Mountainous Area of Santa Catarina, Brazil to take better decisions on it. The computer simulations showed that: 1)the risks on corn establishment increased due to the delay of sowing during the studied years; 2) in some years, its cycles were drastically affected for the lower temperatures; 3) the cycle durations were longer when confronted with the low temperatures; 4) corn income decreased when the cycles were confronted with the low temperatures, water deficiency and low solar radiation; 5) potential incomes averaged 4944 kg ha-1, and under the natural rain conditions averaged 2490 kg ha-1, during all the months analyzed from October to March; 6) besides January, the exploration of this cultivar was not viable because of the high risk of the crop frustration associated to the same ones, due to the thermal conditions (low temperatures and frost).