ABSTRACT
Chemical control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum can prevent infection and reduce the disease incidence and severity. Assessment of individual assay results may not provide reliable conclusions. Statistical techniques like meta-analysis, rarely adopted in phytopathology, may be useful. Basically, the technique quantitatively summarizes the results of several studies, weighting them according to their variability. Thus, published studies and technical reports provided by research entities were analyzed; they contained chemical treatment with the active ingredient fluazinam used in S. sclerotiorum control and its effect on soybean yield. Eighteen experiments were analyzed, totaling 50 data entries. The variable used for the random effects model was obtained based on the difference between the fungicide treatment and the control (without application). Meta-analytic estimate indicated an increase of 413.9 kg.ha-1 and range from 344.6 to 483.1 kg.ha-1. Probability of any increase in yield was 89.1%, and for 120, 300, 600, 900 and 1,200 Kg.ha-1 chances were 82.8, 69.6, 41.7, 17.6 and 4.9%, respectively. Considering R$ 50.00 is the cost of a 60kg bag and R$ 170.00.ha-1 is the fungicide cost, the probability of financial return was estimated at 77.1%. Fluazinam application contributed to increase the yield of soybean attacked by S. sclerotiorum.
Keywords
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum; random effects model; systematic review
