Chemical and biological seed treatment and their effect on soybean development and yield

Abstract

In the search for homogeneous planting density and satisfactory results in soybean development and yield, the treatment of seeds can be carried out using a combination of chemical fungicides, growth stimulators, and other biological agents. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of chemical and biological inputs for soybean seed treatment on crop development and yield. Experiments were carried out in the 2010/2011 growing season in three municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul using the following treatments: fungicide fludioxonil, Trichoderma spp., fludioxonil + Trichoderma spp., fludioxonil + Trichoderma spp. + the growth stimulator Biozyme®, and a control (untreated). The total number of pods in treatment with Trichoderma spp. and the other treatments were up to 77% higher than that of the control. The grain yield of treatments with fludioxonil, fludioxonil + Trichoderma spp., and fludioxonil + Trichoderma spp. + Biozyme® was up to 14% higher than that of the control. These results indicate that fludioxonil combined with the fungus Trichoderma spp. and Biozyme® is indicated for treating soybean seeds and increases crop development and grain yield.