The use of rice cultivars with high competitive ability can be a good alternative to minimize the adverse effects of weeds on the crop yield. Emergence velocity and early growth are desirable physiological characteristics, which accelerate space and the use of environmental resources. This research aimed to investigate variations in emergence and early growth velocities of several flooded rice cultivars. Two trials were conducted in pots during the 1999/2000 summer. Rice cultivars compared were: Bluebelle, BR IRGA 410, BRS Chuí, BRS Ligerinho, BRS Taim, CICA 8, EEA 406, El Paso L 144, EPAGRI 108, IAS 12-9 Formosa, IR 841, IRGA 417, IRGA 418, IRGA 421, and XL 6. Emergence velocity up to 10 days after seeding (DAS) was analyzed. Early growth velocity was characterized by the variables: leaf area, development stage, seedling height, and dry matter of root and aerial plant parts, all evaluated at 14 and 24 DAS. Cultivars Ligeirinho and IR 841 showed the highest emergence speed whereas Formosa and XL 6 showed the slowest. Considering together all four variables related to early seedling growth rate, the cultivars performing positively at the first evaluation (14 DAS) were Ligeirinho, El Paso, and IRGA 418, whereas Formosa, Bluebelle, and XL 6 had negative performance. At the second evaluation (24 DAS), Chuí, El Paso, and Ligeirinho had positive performance white IR 841 and Formosa had the worst performances, according to initial growth variables results.
competition; competition capacity; weed cultural management; dry matter
