Yield and Nutrient Uptake of Soybean Cultivars Under Intensive Cropping Systems

Abstract

Sustainable agricultural systems are necessary to improve soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed yield and to increase nutrient use efficiency. Intensification of agricultural systems is an important tool to increase farmers’ profitability in the Cerrado region (Brazil), where soybean is rotated with corn in the same growing season. However, this intensification requires soybean cultivar with short growing periods which is achieved by indeterminate soybean cultivars. There is a lack of information regarding the nutrient uptake by soybean cultivars under intensive agricultural systems in the Cerrado. We sought to investigate soybean biomass production and soybean seed yield of determinate and indeterminate soybean cultivars. We also aimed to quantify the amounts of nutrients taken up by soybean biomass and seeds. Field research was conducted to evaluate 17 soybean cultivars commonly grown by farmers, and we considered the determinate and indeterminate soybean growth habit. Nutrient uptake and aboveground soybean biomass were higher under shorter soybean growth and development cycles. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium extraction in modern cultivars was higher than in cultivars used in past decades. Nutrient use efficiency was higher in determinate soybean cultivars than in indeterminate soybean cultivars.