AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF WHEAT CULTIVARS IN RESPONSE TO INOCULATION (Azospirillum brasilense) AND NITROGEN APPLICATION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to verify the contribution of seed inoculation with the bacterium Azospirillum brasilense to promote growth on yield components in wheat crop. For this, experiments were carried out in different locations (Santa Maria and Cruz Alta, RS, Brazil), sowing times (June and July) and years of cultivation (2013 and 2014). A randomized block design with three replications was used. The treatments were composed by the combination of ten cultivars, three nitrogen managements and two types of inoculation (10 x 3 x 2). Inoculation was carried out with liquid inoculant in the seeds. The components of grain yield were evaluated. The average number of tillers per plant was influenced by seed inoculation (1.63 and 1.72) when uninoculated and inoculated, respectively. On the other hand, the hectoliter mass responded inversely, reducing to 75.7 kg hL-1. Inoculation with A. brasilense increased the grain mass (1%) and had no positive influence on the variables number of ears and spikelets per ear, grain yield and hectoliter weight.