Defoliation and inoculation with Bacillus aryabhattai on maize development and productivity in Triangulo Mineiro

Resumen

Maize is a globally significant cereal, with Brazil standing out as one of the leading producers and exporters. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Bacillus aryabhattai in maize cultivation under different stress levels. The experiment was conducted at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Triangulo Mineiro – Campus Uberlandia. It used a randomized block design with five replications and treatments in a 3x2 factorial scheme (three different levels of leaf removal and the presence or absence of Bacillus aryabhattai). Agronomic traits evaluated included ear length (EL), ear diameter (ED), thousand-grain weight (TGW), and productivity (PROD). Results showed statistical significance only for thousand-grain weight (TGW), with leaf removal affecting this trait. Leaf removal reduced TGW, with the no-leaf-removal treatment (D3) showing the highest average. No significant differences were observed in the interaction between leaf removal and Bacillus aryabhattai for TGW or other agronomic traits. The coefficient of variation was low for EL, ED, and TGW, indicating good experimental precision. Water deficit during the productive phase negatively impacted crop characteristics. Inoculation, under the studied conditions, did not show a significant effect on mitigating the impacts of leaf removal or promoting plant growth.