Phytotechnical characteristics of common bean under different nitrogen levels during seeding and sidedressing in the rainy season in Northern Minas Gerais

Few studies have focused on the appropriate management of nitrogen (N) levels at the seeding and sidedressing phases to increase the grain yield of common bean in the semiarid region of Brazil, despite the high demand for N by the bean crop. The present study aimed to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of common bean grown during the rainy season following fertilization with different N levels at seeding and sidedressing. A 4x4 factorial structure was used, corresponding to four N levels at seeding (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg ha-1) and four N levels at sidedressing (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg ha-1). The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks with three replicates. The study was conducted in a dystrophic Red Latosol under conventional soil tillage. The ‘Pérola’ cultivar was sown in plots formed of six rows (each 5 m long), spaced 0.5 m apart, using the four central rows, totaling 10 m2 of useful area. The following parameters were evaluated: final stand, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, 100-grain weight and yield. The N levels at seeding increased the number of pods per plant, and sidedressing fertilization using 83.33 kg ha-1 N yielded the highest 100-grain weight. The maximum yield (MTE; 3.092 kg ha-1) was found when using 62.4 kg ha-1 N at seeding and 61.9 kg ha-1 N at sidedressing, and the maximum economic efficiency (MEE) was found when using 60.3 kg ha-1 N at seeding and 59.5 kg ha-1 N at sidedressing, indicating the need for split N fertilization of common bean during the rainy season in the northern region of Minas Gerais State