DETASSELING PRACTICES ON TROPICAL MAIZE A ND ITS EFFECT ON MINERAL-NUTRITION AND NUTRITIONAL EFFICIENCY

The effect of different methods of maize sterilization on two inbred l ines (A and B) and their hybrid (HS CMS 355) were studied in a Red Dys trophic Latosol from Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil, for grain prod uction and nutritional efficiency. The tassel removal was accomplished by : manual cutting off, mechanical, manual cutting with 4-5 leaves i nvolving the tassel, no cutting and male sterility. The different meth ods used for detasseling did not affect maize production, total dry ma tter or nutrient conversion into grains of the cultivars studied. Howe ver, the residual nutrients increased in the stalk with leaf sheaths, husks and cob when the tassel was removed. The percentage of nutrients conversion into grains does not mean necessarily maize varieties with more grain production by nutrient absorved.