Yield response of canola (Brassica napus L.) to different inter-row spacings and sowing dates in northwest of Paran, Brazil

In Brazil, the cultivation of canola has increased as a result of higher demand for biodiesel production. However, the current knowledge on planting arrangement and sowing time to boost the crop’s yield in the southern part of the country is limited. On this point, the goal of this work was to evaluate the yield potential of four canola hybrids submitted to different sowing dates and inter-row spacings in 2011 and 2012 crop years in Maringá, city located in the Brazilian state of Parana's Northwest area. The experiment was conducted with 16 treatments constituted of 2 sowing dates (April 08 and May 10), 2 inter-row spacings (0.17 and 0.45 m) and 4 hybrids (Hyola 76, Hyola 61, Hyola 433 and Hyola 411). The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with the treatments in a split-split plot design with four replications in the field. The yield potential of each hybrid was evaluated through the weight of a thousand seeds, the grain yield, and the oil content. From the results of grain and oil yields found, the canola hybrid Hyola 433 showed stable production in both crop years and, therefore, are indicated for sowing in early May. On the other hand, Hyola 61 and Hyola 71 can be recommended for sowing in early April. Mostly, the evaluated inter-row spacings did not affect the grain and oil yields over the two crop years.