Incidence of pathogens and field emergence of soybean seeds subjected to harvest delay

This study aimed at evaluating seed health quality, as well as seedling emergence in the field, of eight soybean cultivars (UFV-16, Splendor, Vencedora, Confiança, UFV-18, UFV-TN 105, Garantia, and Celeste) subjected to different harvest periods. To this, seeds were harvested at the growth stages R8, R8+15 days, and R8+30 days, and then submitted to health test and to the test of seedling emergence in field. Results showed that although seeds harvested at 15 and 30 days after the stage R8 had shown a significant increase of fungi infection, especially by Fusarium spp., Phomopsis spp., and Epicoccum spp., the percent seedling emergence in the field was reduced only to seeds harvested 30 days after the reproductive stage R8. Cultivars have shown differentiated behavior between each other in relation to the percent incidence rate of fungi and seedling emergence in the field; and the seeds least infected by fungi were those allowing the highest percent emergence of seedlings in the field.