This experiment aimed to evaluate two types of harvest combines, on seed quality of two soybean cultivars harvested at three times of - day. The conventional combine worked moving at 5,0km.h-1, cylinder speed 750 rotations per minute (rpm). The axial flow combine worked moving at 8,0km.h-1, rotor speed 650 rotations per minute (rpm). The soybean cultivars used were BRS 184 and BRS 133. The germination test, vigor test, tetrazolium, mechanical damages and humidity test were used to evaluate the seed quality. Both harvest combines did not present statistical differences in mechanical damage and physiological quality. The seed moisture content varied during the day, but the results confirmed that it was always in a range of ideal moisture for the soybean mechanical harvest. Therefore the mechanical damage was controlled and consequently the seeds had good physiological quality regardless of the harvest combine used. There were variations in the soybean seed moisture content during the day, that could be lower by up to three percentage points at the end of the afternoon (6 p.m.) than at the start of harvesting (10 a.m.). Neither the conventional nor the axial flow combine harvesters, when used with specific adjustments, caused differences in soybean seed physiological quality.
Glycine max; harvest combine; seed quality
