Seeds treatment times in the establishment and yield performance of soybean crops

Abstract: The objective was to assess the early treatment effect of soybean seeds and pre-sowing with different combinations of chemicals on the establishment of plants and crop yield performance. The design was in randomized blocks in a 2x7 factorial arrangement, with two times for seed treatment and seven treatments (six chemical treatments and an untreated control). The treatments were: 1) fipronil + pyraclostrobin + thiophanate methyl; 2) imidacloprid + thiodicarb + carbendazin + thiram; 3) abamectin + thiamethoxam + fludioxonil + mefenoxam + thiabendazole; 4) carbendazin + thiram; 5) fludioxonil + mefenoxam + thiabendazole; 6) carboxin + thiram; and 7) untreated control (water only). The assessments were: seedling emergence, final stand, plant height and insertion of first pod, number of pods per plant, seeds per pod and per plant, thousand-seed weight and grain yield. Early treatment of soybean seeds (240 days prior to sowing) hinders the establishment of the crop, the thousand-seed weight and grain yield in relation to the pre-sowing treatment. Chemical treatments tested containing fungicides and insecticides associated favor the establishment of the crop, but do not alter the soybean yield performance.