Castor yield and castor seed quality at an agroecological base system

Abstract

Several environmental factors play roles on seed yield and quality, among them sowing time is fundamental. The objective of this work was to evaluate seed yield and quality of castor cultivars according sowing season under agroecologial system base. The experiment was conduced in an experimental station of the Embrapa Clima Temperado in Pelotas/RS, 31st 37' 16"S of latitude, 52nd 31'40"W of longitude and 190 meters of altitude. Were used four castor cultivars, which are Al Guarany 2002, IAC 80, IAC 226 and BRS 188 Paraguaçu. We evaluated the spike quantity emitted per floral order, seed yield, capsule hull proportion, seed thousand weight, germination, vigor and dormancy. The analysis of the results allows us to conclude that: the Amphobotrys ricini disease is restrictive to castor crop in agroecological base system and that sowing time anticipation can make possible the seeds production without chemical fungicides use to control it, however the seeds of cultivars differing in physiologic quality according to sowing time.