Agronomic Performance of RR® Soybean Submitted to Glyphosate Application Associated with a Product Based on Bacillus subtilis

Abstract

Despite the great benefits arising from the adoption of Roundup Ready® (RR®) soybean, there are reports about the lack of selectivity of glyphosate for this crop. The use of growth-promoting microorganisms can help attenuate the injuries caused by herbicides. The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance of RR® soybean submitted to the post-emergence application of glyphosate both isolated and in association with Bacillus subtilis. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized block design, with four replications. The treatments consisted of the post-emergence applications of glyphosate (1296 g a.i. ha−1), glyphosate (2592 g a.i. ha−1), glyphosate/glyphosate (1296/1296 g a.i. ha−1), glyphosate + B. subtilis BV02 (1296 + 42 g a.i. ha−1), glyphosate + B. subtilis BV02 (2592 + 42 g a.i. ha−1), and glyphosate + B. subtilis BV02/glyphosate + B. subtilis BV02 (1296 + 42/1296 + 42 g a.i. ha−1). The application of glyphosate (2592 g a.i. ha−1) and the sequential application of glyphosate provides higher levels of intoxication. The association of B. subtilis BV02 with glyphosate (2592 g a.i. ha−1) prevented losses in the values of relative chlorophyll a and b and the total chlorophyll index. The soybean yield was reduced when the plants were submitted to a sequential application of glyphosate.