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In N. Uruguay two potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crops are grown per year, one in the fall and the other in spring. In each season physiologically young seed tubers are planted, resulting in relatively slow crop emergence and low yields. The aim of the current research was to determine the effects of physiological ageing of seed tubers on the dynamics of canopy growth, radiation interception and radiation use efficiency (RUE) of crops in the short seasons of Uruguay and to identify opportunities for increasing yield. Experiments were conducted on cv Chieftain over three years from 2000 to 2002. Prior to planting seed was stored at different controlled temperatures to generate physiological ages (measured in thermal time) ranging from 0 (the youngest) to 1200 oC days (the oldest). Ageing led to earlier crop emergence (3-9 days depending on the year), but its potential benefits on radiation interception, dry matter production and yield were negated by an earlier canopy senescence and often smaller canopy size. There was no consistent effect of ageing on RUE although the harvest index was increased. Leaf tagging showed that leaf appearance and senescence was advanced by ageing and the lifespan of individual leaves was reduced. Leaf lifespan did not appear to be related to the sink demand by tubers for assimilate, because removal of tubers at the start of bulking had no effect on lifespan. Maintaining canopy structure during senescence led to a small increase in yield. Although physiological ageing did not result in a consistent increase in yield in either season, use of older seed may provide an insurance against the risk of adverse weather conditions late in the season terminating tuber bulking prematurely.

Orientador: Cláudio Cavariani / Banca: José de Barros França Neto / Banca: Leila Martins / Resumo: A cultura da soja, em razão de sua importância no agronegócio mundial, é alvo de inúmeras pesquisas no campo fitotécnico na busca por novas informações para elevação da produtividade. O vigor é um dos principais atributos da qualidade fisiológica das sementes a ser considerado na implantação de uma lavoura, pela influência que pode ter no crescimento e no rendimento das plantas. A pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho de plantas de soja e a qualidade das sementes produzidas em diferentes densidades populacionais, em função do nível de vigor das sementes utilizadas. O experimento foi conduzido em duas etapas. A primeira constituiu da fase de campo, mediante delineamento em bloco ao acaso, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial 3x3 (densidades populacionais de 7, 12 e 17 pl.m-1 e níveis de vigor das sementes alto, médio e baixo), empregando-se três cultivares de soja. Foram avaliados a população inicial, a data do florescimento, o ciclo, a altura média das plantas e da inserção da primeira vagem, os números médio de vagens por planta e de sementes por vagem, a população final de plantas, em relação à inicial, e a produção de sementes. A segunda etapa foi realizada no laboratório e constou da avaliação das características qualitativas das sementes de soja produzidas na etapa anterior. Foi evidente o efeito do vigor das sementes na emergência de plântulas em campo, sendo superior quando oriundas das sementes de alto vigor. A elevação da densidade de plantas de soja na linha ressalta, positivamente, efeitos dos níveis de vigor no desenvolvimento das plantas. O vigor das sementes e a densidade de plantas na linha têm influencia na produção de soja; elevações de 8% e 6% na produção foram observadas em plantas originadas de sementes com vigor médio e alto, em relação às... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Due to the importance of soybean in the world agribusiness, this crop has been the subject of innumerous research studies, looking for management techniques to increase production per area. The vigor is one of the main seed physiological quality characters that has to be considered in the crop establishment, because it can influence the plant growth and final production. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of soybean plants and the quality of seeds produced in different population densities, depending on the level of vigor of the seed sown. The experiment was conducted in two stages. The first one was conducted at the field, in randomized block design, with four replications, in a factorial 3x3 design (densities of 7, 12 and 17 pl.m-1 and levels of seed vigor, high, medium and low), using three soybean cultivars. The following parameters were: initial population, flowering cycle, average height of plants and first pod; average number of pods per plant and seeds per pod; final population of plants (in relation to the initial population); and seed yield. In the second stage, conducted in the laboratory, the quality of the produced seed was evaluated. The effect of seed vigor on seedling emergence in the field was evident, being higher when derived from the seeds of high vigor. The high density of soybean plants in the row highlights positively the effects of vigor levels upon plants development. Seed vigor and plant density on the line have influence on soybean production; increases of 8% and 6% in seed yield were observed in plants from seeds with medium and high vigor, compared to those coming from low vigor. Seed vigor and plant density on the line do not affect the physiological quality of the produced seeds / Mestre