Agronomic characteristics of corn cultivars for silage production

The objective of this study was to assess agronomic characteristics of five corn cultivars (BRS 1055, BRS 3035, BRS 2022, SÃO JOSÉ and BRS CAIMBÉ) recommended for silage production in Pernambuco State. At this productivity of green matter (PGM), productivity of dry matter (PDM), number of cornears (NCE), plant height (PH), ear insertion height (EIH), plant population (PP), percen tage of broken plants (PBP) and proportions of ear, stem, and leaf in the GM and DM were determined. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design with five treatments (cultivars) and five replications. SÃO JOSÉ was prominent for PH, EIH, and PBP, with mean values of 2.05 m, 1.15 m, and 7.62%, respectively. BRS 3035, BRS 2022, and BRS CAIMBÉ attained the highest PDM (9.68, 9.66, and 8.62 Mg ha-1, respectively). The evaluated cultivars had a good balance of leaf:stem:ear ratios and were in accordance with those exhibited by corn cultivars selected for silage production in different Brazilian regions. In general, the cultivars BRS 2022, BRS 3035, and BRS CAIMBÉ excelled in the most agronomic characteristics for silage production in the Borborema Plateau, a semiarid zone of Pernambuco State, when compared with the other cultivars