In addition to essential macronutrients and micronutrients, bioregulators, biostimulants or bioactivators are being increasingly used on agricultural crops with important outcomes. Therefore, improved knowledge on the functioning of these chemicals on plants is needed. Based on the assumption that foliar fertilizers applied at specific times promote soybean growth, development and yield, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the biometric, biomass, physiological, nutritional and grain yield parameters to increase knowledge about specific fertilizers applied alone or in combination and at different stages of soybean growth and development. The present study was performed in partnership between the Goiano Federal Institute (Instituto Federal Goiano), Campus Rio Verde, state of Goiás (GO), Brazil, and the company Tecno Nutricao Vegetal e Biotecnologia Ltda. A randomized block experimental design was used with four replicates. The biometric, physiological, nutritional and yield data were subjected to analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s test when significant differences were found at p < 0.05 using the SISVAR software. In the emergency and early use of Tonik combined with Nodumax and PreventCoMo , in the vegetative phase, the Lumix combined with Vivat or VivatMn in the reproductive stage of flowering, 2 application Tripper combined with VivatB at a dose of 500 ml·ha - 1 and reproductive phase of grain filling, 2 application Apport at a dose of 500 g·ha - 1 gave the best results.
Brazil is the world’s second largest producer of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merril). The twelfth Brazilian grain harvest survey estimates that the planted area for the 2015/16 harvest will reach 58.15 million hectares, representing an overall increase of 215.7 thousand hectares (0.4%) from the previous harvest of 57.93 million hectares. Soybean crops correspond to 57% of the cultivated area in Brazil and are the main crop responsible for this increase. The soybean cultivated area has been estimated to have increased 3.5% from 32,092.9 thousand hectares in the 2014/15 harvest to 33,228.4 thousand hectares in the current harvest [
Soybean possesses genetic potential for a high yield, which is mostly limited by nutrient availability and climate factors [
Increases in the production and productive capacity of Brazilian soybeans are associated with scientific advancements and new production technologies. Numerous studies have investigated the influence of plant regulators in agriculture, with an emphasis on the growth of flowers, vegetables and fruit. However, few studies have focused on major crops, such as the soybean [
Foliar fertilization is considered one of the main innovations in plant mineral nutrition because it can supply both macro- and micronutrients to plants via highly soluble fertilizer formulations. Therefore, the application of foliar fertilizers can supply crop plants with nutrients in the appropriate amounts and during periods of higher demand by the plants to avoid and correct nutrient deficiencies in the soil [
Some plant regulators include micronutrients in their formulation to minimize problems resulting from micronutrient deficiency during germination, plant development and seed production. In addition to essential macro- and micronutrients, bioregulators, biostimulants or bioactivators (also known in the market as last generation organomineral fertilizers) are being increasingly used on agricultural crops with important outcomes. Therefore, improved knowledge on the functioning of these chemicals on plants is needed [
Strategies that promote fast plant growth, especially during early plant development, are urgently needed. Depending on their composition, concentration and component proportions, biostimulants may increase plant growth and development by stimulating cell division, differentiation and elongation; improve the plant hormonal balance; and increase water and nutrient uptake by the plants [
Several different foliar fertilizers have been registered for use in soybean and are available on the market. However, no single product offers a large variety of macronutrients and micronutrients in high concentrations in addition to amino acids, plant extracts and other substances and natural complexes with biostimulating actions. Based on the assumption that foliar fertilizers applied at specific times promote soybean growth, development and yield, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the biometric, biomass, physiological, nutritional and grain yield parameters to increase knowledge about specific fertilizers applied alone or in combination and at different stages of soybean growth and development.
The present study was performed in partnership between the Goiano Federal Institute (Instituto Federal Goiano), Campus Rio Verde, state of Goiás (GO), Brazil, and the company Tecno Nutrição Vegetal e Biotecnologia Ltda. The experiments were performed in an area belonging to the company reserved for experimental purposes, located in the municipality of Rio Verde, GO, at 17˚44'20.88''S and 50˚57'55.79''W and 860 m altitude, during the 2015-16 summer harvest.
The soil at the experimental area is classified as dystrophic Red Latosol (LVd) [
The soil preparation consisted of a lime application followed by subsoiling and
Macronutrients | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Depth | pH | P | S | K | Ca | Mg | Al | H + Al | OM | SB | CEC | V | m |
cm | CaCl2 | mg∙dm-3 | cmolc∙dm−3 | g∙dm−3 | cmolc∙dm−3 | % | |||||||
0 - 20 | 3.9 | 7.53 | 17.3 | 19 | 0.5 | 0.37 | 0.92 | 7.50 | 32.6 | 0.92 | 8.51 | 10.8 | 50 |
20 - 40 | 3.9 | 5.31 | 16.8 | 17 | 0.36 | 0.28 | 0.85 | 6.35 | 29.0 | 0.68 | 7.03 | 9.7 | 55.6 |
Micronutrients | Particle size | ||||||||||||
B | Na | Cu | Fe | Mn | Zn | Sand | Silt | Clay | Textural class | ||||
mg∙dm−3 | % | ||||||||||||
0 - 20 | 0.41 | 0.0 | 0.39 | 48.53 | 9.67 | 2.53 | 33 | 8 | 59 | Silty clay | |||
20 - 40 | 0.41 | 0.0 | 0.34 | 45.03 | 6.05 | 1.8 | 33 | 4 | 63 | Clay |
Soil solution pH, determined in calcium chloride solution; OM: organic matter, determined by colorimetry; P: phosphorus, Mehlich; K+: potassium, Mehlich; Ca2+: exchangeable calcium, determined in KCl; Mg2+: exchangeable magnesium, determined in KCl; S-
two levelings. Corrective fertilization and fertilization at planting were based on the soil analysis and the method of Sousa and Lobato [
Soybean variety CZ36B80RR was used. Sowing was performed on November 17, 2015, with 18 seeds per linear meter and 0.45 m spacing between rows for a total 360,000 plants ha−1.
All planting furrows were opened and fertilized using a John Deere mechanical sower. Sowing was performed using a Knapik manual sower for coarse grain for the treatments with different seed treatments and the mechanical sower for the remaining treatments.
The local climate was monitored during crop development. The climate parameter averages are presented in
Pesticides for weed, pest and disease control were applied during crop development (
A randomized block experimental design was used with four replicates. The experimental plots consisted of eight 10-m long rows spaced 0.45 m apart with 2-m borders between plots and 0.90-m borders between blocks.
Different products were tested alone or in combination by application to the soybean seeds at the vegetative stage and during the reproductive stage (
Fertilization | Fertilizer | Quantity |
---|---|---|
Corrective | Dolomitic lime* | 3 t ha−1 |
At planting | NPK8-20-18** | 400 kg ha−1 |
*Applied by broadcasting on the whole area 30 days before planting. **Applied in planting furrow.
Date | Temperature (°C) | RH (%) | Rainfall | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Instantaneous | (mm) | |||
15/Nov | 29.02 | 66.57 | 61.80 | |
30/Nov | 26.97 | 80.51 | 65.60 | |
15/Dec | 24.11 | 79.47 | 95.80 | |
30/Dec | 23.72 | 81.07 | 44.80 | |
15/Jan | 23.90 | 86.10 | 108.60 | |
30/Jan | 25.53 | 77.74 | 79.40 | |
15/Feb | 26.12 | 73.20 | 114.26 | |
30/Feb | 27.14 | 77.65 | 48.24 | |
Overall average | 25.81 | 77.79 | Total | 618.50 |
Application | Time | Active Principles | Dose |
---|---|---|---|
ST | Sowing | (Thiodicarb + Imidacloprid) + (Carbendazim + Thiram) | 0.5 +0.2 L 100 kg∙seeds−1 |
1st | 20 DAE | Flubendiamide + Methomyl + Glyphosate | 0.07 + 1.0 + 2.0 L∙ha−1 |
2nd | 40 DAE | Flubendiamide + Methomyl + (Trifloxystrobin + Prothioconazole) | 0.07 + 1.0 + 0.2 L∙ha−1 |
3rd | 60 DAE* | Flubendiamide + (Beta-cyfluthrin + Imidacloprid) + (Trifloxystrobin + Prothioconazole) | 0.07 + 1.0 L∙ha−1 |
4th | 80 DAE** | Thiodicarb + Buprofezin + (Trifloxystrobin + Cyproconazole) | 0.4 + 1.0 kg + 0.2 L∙ha−1 |
Desiccation | 100 DAE | Dicloreto de paraquate | 1.5 L∙ha−1 |
The adjuvant Vortexy was added to all applications; *Foliar fertilizer Valio was added to the spray solution; **Foliar fertilizers Valio and Fitalexy were added to the spray solution. DAE-days after emergence.
Experiment I | ||
---|---|---|
Treatment | Name | Description |
1 | Tonik100 | 100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik |
2 | Tonik200 | 200 mL∙ha−1 Tonik |
3 | Nodumax | Inoculant |
4 | PCoMo | PreventCoMo. |
5 | Tonik + Nodumax | 100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik and inoculant |
6 | Tonik + PCoMo | 100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik and Prevent CoMo. |
7 | Nodumax + PCoMo | Inoculation and Prevent CoMo. |
8 | Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo | 100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik + inoculant + PreventCoMo. |
9 | Control | Standard1 |
Experiment II | ||
Treatment | Name | Description |
1 | Lumix | 3.0 L∙ha−1 Lumix |
2 | Vivat | 3.0 kg∙ha−1 Vivat |
3 | VivatMn | 1.0 kg∙ha−1 Vivat manganese |
4 | Lumix + Vivat | 3.0 L∙ha−1 Lumix + 3.0 kg∙ha−1 Vivat |
5 | Lumix + VivatMn | 3.0 L∙ha−1 Lumix + 1.0 kg∙ha−1 VivatMn |
6 | Control | Standard2 |
Experiment III | ||
Treatment | Name | Description |
1 | T250 + VB | 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
2 | T(2 × 250) + VB | Two applications of 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
3 | T500 + VB | 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
4 | T(2 × 500) + VB | Two applications of 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
5 | T750 + VB | 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
---|---|---|
6 | T(2 × 750) + VB | Two applications of 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
7 | T1000 + VB | 1000 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
8 | T(2 × 1000) + VB | Two applications of 100 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB |
9 | Control | Standard2 |
Experiment IV | ||
Treatment | Name | Description |
1 | A250 | 250 g∙ha−1 Apport |
2 | A(2 × 250) | Two applications of 250 g∙ha−1 Apport |
3 | A500 | 500 g∙ha−1 Apport |
4 | A(2 × 500) | Two applications of 500 g∙ha−1 Apport |
5 | A750 | 750 g∙ha−1 Apport |
6 | A(2 × 750) | Two applications of 750 g∙ha−1 Apport |
7 | A1000 | 1000 g∙ha−1 Apport |
8 | A(2 × 1000) | Two applications of 100 g∙ha−1 Apport |
9 | Control | Standard2 |
1Standard: (Thiodicarb + Imidacloprid) + (Carbendazim + Thiram). 2Standard: (Thiodicarb + Imidacloprid) + (Carbendazim + Thiram) and inoculant + Co and Mo (Nodumax + PreventCoMo).
The different products tested were provided by the company Tecno Nutrição Vegetal e Biotecnologia Ltda, which allowed the disclosure of their commercial name. The classification and characteristics of the tested products are presented in
The recommended doses, tested doses, number of applications and plant stage of application for each product and for the different treatments are presented in
The foliar fertilizers were applied using a CO2-pressurized backpack sprayer with a 2-m boom with four spray nozzles (TT 110-02; 0.45 m between nozzles) to deliver 100 L ha−1 of spray solution. The environmental conditions were monitored, and the applications were performed under favorable conditions (average temperature of 25˚C, 78% RH and 2.5 km h−1 wind speed). All applications were performed between 8:00 am and 10:00 am or between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm when the climate conditions were optimal for fertilizer application.
The number of emerged plants was obtained by counting all plants over 10 m in a planting row at the center of each experimental plot.
Four plants were collected per experimental plot for the determination of the biometric and biomass parameters for a total 16 plants per treatment for each assessment.
The biometric parameters were measured using a tape measure, ruler and
Category | Product* | Nutrients (%) | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | P | K | Mg | Ca | S | B | Cu | Fe | Mn | Zn | Co | Mo | ||
Special | Tonik® | 18 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 0.03 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 2.0 | ||||
Organic | Nodumax® | |||||||||||||
Nutrition | PreventCoMo® | 1 | 10 | |||||||||||
Special | Lumix® | 5 | 8 | 5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | |||||
Nutrition | Vivat® | 8 | 11.6 | 1 | 15 | 8 | ||||||||
Nutrition | VivatMn® | 1 | 12.9 | 25 | ||||||||||
Special | Tripper® | 2.0 | ||||||||||||
Nutrition | VivatB® | 1 | 13 | |||||||||||
Special | Apport® | 30 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 1 |
*Commercial products belonging to the company Tecno Nutrição Vegetal e Biotecnologia Ltda.
Product | Recommended dose | Dose used | Number of applications | Plant stage of application |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tonik | 100 - 200 mL∙ha−1 | 100 and 200 mL∙ha−1 | 1 | ST |
NoduMax | 1 - 5 doses∙ha−1 | 3 doses∙ha−1 | 1 | ST |
PreventCoMo | 100 - 200 mL∙ha−1 | 150 mL∙ha−1 | 1 | ST |
Lumix | 1.5 - 3 L∙ha−1 | 2 L∙ha−1 | 1 | V4 |
Vivat | 1 - 3 Kg∙ha−1 | 1.5 Kg∙ha−1 | 1 | V4 |
VivatMn | 0.3 - 1 Kg∙ha−1 | 750 g∙ha−1 | 1 | V4 |
Tripper | 0.3 - 1 L∙ha−1 | 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mL∙ha−1 | 1 and 2 | R1 and R3 |
VivatB | 0.3 - 1 Kg∙ha−1 | 750 g∙ha−1 | 1 | R1 |
Apport | 1 - 3 Kg∙ha−1 | 250, 500, 750 and 1000 g∙ha−1 | 1 and 2 | R4 and R5.1 |
ST―Seed treatment.
caliper. Dry weights were obtained by placing the plant material in an oven at 65˚C until a constant weight was achieved.
The physiological parameters were measured in four plants per experimental plot for a total 16 plants per treatment for each assessment. The leaf water potential (ΨW) was measured using a Scholander pressure bomb in KPa and converted into Mpa. The chlorophyll concentrations were determined using a CFL1030 chlorophyll meter (ClorofiLOG1030®; Falker®, Porto Alegre, Brazil).
The nutrient concentrations were measured in samples of 30 leaves collected from the middle third of the plants in full flowering stage for a total of 120 leaves per treatment. The analyses were performed by a certified commercial laboratory. For the treatments with Tripper application, the flowers from 10 plants per plot were collected and used for the determination of the calcium (Ca) and boron (B) concentrations for a total of 40 plants per treatment.
Four plants were collected per experimental plot for the determination of the number of flowers, number of pods and pod weights at the different developmental stages for a total 16 plants per treatment for each assessment.
At the end of the crop cycle, the samples were desiccated and the weight of 100 seeds and grain yields were determined. The grain yield was determined by harvesting and threshing all plants in a 4 m2 area per experimental plot for a total of 16 m2 per treatment. The total seed moisture content was determined and corrected to 13% (wb); then, the values were extrapolated to kg ha−1.
The assessment, time, stage and variables analyzed are described in
The biometric, physiological, nutritional and yield data were subjected to analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s test when significant differences were found at p < 0.05 using the SISVAR software [
All seed treatments with the exception of the Nodumax treatment resulted in an
Treatment | Assessment | Time | Stage | Variables |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tonik/Nodumax/ PreventCoMo | Emergence | 2 DAE | V1 | NEP |
Biometric | 5, 10, 15 and 20 DAE | V1-V3 | PH, SD, RL, RW | |
Biomass | LDW, SDW, RDW and TDW | |||
Physiological | ΨW | |||
Lumix/Vivat/ VivatMn | Biometric | 40 DAE | V6 | PH, SD, NN and LA |
Biomass | LDW, SDW, RDW and TDW | |||
Physiological | ΨW, Chl a, Chl b and Chl total | |||
Nutritional | 45 DAE | R1 | N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn and B | |
Tripper/VivatB | Abortion | 50, 55, 60 and 65 DAE | R1-R5.5 | FA, PA and TA |
Nutritional | 45 DAE | R1 | Ca and B | |
Apport | Photoassimilate | 65, 70, 75, 80 and 85 DAE | R5.1, R5.2, R5.3, R5.4 and R5.5 | PDW |
General | Yield | 105 DAE | final | W100S and GY |
NEP―number of emerged plants; PH―plant height; SD―stem diameter; RL―root length; RW―root width; LDW―leaf dry weight; SDW―stem dry weight; RDW―root dry weight; TDW―total dry weight; NN―number of nodes; LA―leaf area; ΨW―leaf water potential; Chl a―chlorophyll a; Chl b―chlorophyll b; Chl total―total chlorophyll; FA―flower abortion; PA―pod abortion; TA―total abortion; PDW―pod dry weight; W100S―weight of 100 seeds; GY―grain yield.
increased number of emerged plants (NEP) compared to the control treatment (
With the exception of the Tonik + Nodumax treatment, the highest NEP values were observed for all combination treatments with Tonik, which presented NEP increases of 20.05% relative to the control (
All seed treatments resulted in increased plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), root length (RL) and root volume (RV) compared to the control treatment (
Treatment | NEP |
---|---|
plants∙m−1 | |
Tonik100 | 17.45 ab |
Tonik200 | 17.62 ab |
Nodumax | 14.12 e |
PCoMo | 15.65 d |
Tonik + Nodumax | 17.24 bc |
Tonik + PCoMo | 17.92 ab |
Nodumax + PCoMo | 16.52 cd |
Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo | 18.21 a |
Control | 14.23 e |
Values followed by the same lowercase letter within the same column not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). Tonik100―100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; Tonik200―200 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; PCoMo―PreventCoMo.
Treatment | Averages | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
PH | SD | RL | RW | |
cm | ||||
Tonik100 | 9.61 c | 3.33 bc | 10.44 c | 14.96 c |
Tonik200 | 11.31 a | 3.29 c | 10.41 c | 18.68 b |
Nodumax | 8.61 ef | 2.96 de | 9.95 e | 10.70 g |
PCoMo | 8.72 e | 2.91 ef | 9.91 e | 10.02 h |
Tonik + Nodumax | 9.09 d | 3.43 b | 10.74 b | 12.97 e |
Tonik + PCoMo | 10.78 b | 3.06 d | 10.59 c | 13.86 d |
Nodumax + PCoMo | 8.72 ef | 3.03 d | 10.38 d | 11.50 f |
Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo | 11.18 aA | 4.07 aA | 10.99 a | 20.79 a |
Control | 8.43 fA | 2.82 fA | 9.15 f | 9.30 i |
Values followed by the same lowercase letter within same column not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). Tonik100―100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; Tonik200―200 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; PCoMo―PreventCoMo.
The highest PH, SD, RL and RV values were observed for the treatment combining all tested products (Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo), which resulted in increases of 25.04% for PH, 30.71% for SD, 16.78% for RL and 55.26% for RV relative to the control. However, the PH was not significantly different between the Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo and Tonik100 treatments (
All seed treatments resulted in an increased leaf dry weight (LDW), stem dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW) and total dry weight (TDW) compared to the control treatment (
The highest LDW, SDW, RDW and TDW values were observed for the treatment combining all tested products (Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo), which resulted in increases of 25.04% for LDW, 30.71% for SDW, 16.78% for RDW and 55.26% for TDW relative to the control (
All seed treatments with the exception of the Nodumax + PCoMo treatment 20 days after emergence (DAE) resulted in a higher leaf water potential (ΨW) compared to the control treatment (
The highest ΨW values were observed for the Tonik100, Tonik200, Tonik + Nodumax, Tonik + PCoMo and Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo treatments, which resulted
Treatment | Averages | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
LDW | SDW | RDW | TDW | |
g plant−1 | ||||
Tonik100 | 14.96 c | 0.89 abc | 0.88 b | 2.56 cde |
Tonik200 | 18.68 b | 1.13 a | 1.02 ab | 3.09 bcd |
Nodumax | 10.70 g | 0.77 c | 0.81 b | 2.27 ef |
PCoMo | 10.02 h | 0.81 bc | 0.67 cd | 2.20 f |
Tonik + Nodumax | 12.97 e | 0.95 ab | 0.83 bc | 2.65 bc |
Tonik + PCoMo | 13.86 d | 0.90 abc | 0.91 ab | 2.94 ab |
Nodumax + PCoMo | 11.50 f | 0.73 c | 0.79 cd | 2.26 de |
Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo | 20.79 a | 0.94 abc | 1.14 a | 3.16 a |
Control | 9.30 i | 0.60 d | 0.64 d | 1.86 g |
Values followed by the same lowercase letter within same column not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). Tonik100―100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; Tonik200―200 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; PCoMo―PreventCoMo.
Treatment | ΨW | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
5DAE | 10DAE | 15DAE | 20DAE | |
MPa | ||||
Tonik100 | −0.50 abcA | −0.54 abcA | −0.53 abcAB | −0.56 abB |
Tonik200 | −0.45 abcA | −0.52 abcA | −0.55 abcAB | −0.48 aB |
Nodumax | −0.59 bcdA | −0.56 bcdA | −0.58 bcdAB | −0.59 abB |
PCoMo | −0.57 cdA | −0.63 cdA | −0.58 cdAB | −0.64 abB |
Tonik + Nodumax | −0.37 abA | −0.46 abAB | −0.39 abB | −0.58 bB |
Tonik + PCoMo | −0.41 aA | −0.41 aAB | −0.41 aB | −0.53 bB |
Nodumax + PCoMo | −0.52 cdA | −0.68 cdAB | −0.60 cdB | −0.59 cB |
Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo | −0.36 aA | −0.37 aAB | −0.40 aB | −0.56 abB |
Control | −0.69 dA | −0.70 dA | −0.70 dAB | −0.61 cB |
Values followed by the same lowercase letter within same column not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). Tonik100―100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; Tonik200―200 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; PCoMo―PreventCoMo.
in average increases of 39.13% at 5 DAE, 34.28% at 10 DAE, 34.85% at 15 DAE and 7.21% at 20 DAE relative to the control (
The TDW accumulation increased with the increasing DAE. The average increase was 0.083 g∙day−1 for the Tonik200, Tonik + PCoMo and Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo treatments and 0.032 g∙day−1 for the control treatment (
All seed treatments resulted in a higher weight of 100 seeds (W100S) and grain yields (GYs) compared to the control treatment (
All treatments resulted in an increased PH, SD, number of nodes (NN) and leaf area (LA) compared to the control treatment (
Treatment | W100S | GY |
---|---|---|
g | kg ha−1 | |
Tonik100 | 13.75 d | 3097.20 b |
Tonik200 | 14.22 cd | 3099.60 b |
Nodumax | 14.28 cd | 2959.80 f |
PCoMo | 14.60 c | 2897.40 g |
Tonik + Nodumax | 15.05 ab | 3062.40 c |
Tonik + PCoMo | 15.02 ab | 3045.00 d |
Nodumax + PCoMo | 13.61 d | 3004.80 e |
Tonik + Nodumax + PCoMo | 15.61 a | 3192.00 a |
Control | 14.52 bc | 2857.20 h |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p<0.05). Tonik100―100 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; Tonik200―200 mL∙ha−1 Tonik; PCoMo―PreventCoMo.
The highest PH, SD, NN and LA values were observed for the combination treatment Lumix + Vivat, which resulted in increases of 13.34% for PH, 31.95% for SD, 17.0% for NN and 25.48% for LA relative to the control (
All treatments (except Lumix, Vivat and VivatMn for LDW) resulted in an increased LDW, SDW, RDW and TDW compared to the control treatment (
The highest LDW, SDW, RDW and TDW values were observed for the combination treatment Lumix + VivatMn, which resulted in increases of 26.95% for LDW, 29.55% for SDW, 28.50% for RDW and 28.58% for TDW relative to the control. Therefore, treatments containing Lumix combined with VivatMn efficiently increased the plant dry weight accumulation during the soybean vegetative stage (
All treatments except Vivat and VivatMn resulted in decreased leaf water potential (ΨW) compared to the control treatment (
The lowest ΨW values were observed for the combination treatments Lumix + Vivat and Lumix + VivatMn, which resulted in an average decrease of 43.10% relative to the control. Therefore, treatments containing Lumix combined with Vivat or VivatMn efficiently affected the leaf water potential; promoted plant osmotic adjustment, higher plant water uptake and water retention capacity; and maintained turgidity and continued plant growth even under drought conditions (
All treatments (except Lumix for Chl b) resulted in increased chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b) and total chlorophyll (Chl t) concentrations compared to the control treatment (
Treatment | LDW | SDW | RDW | TDW |
---|---|---|---|---|
g | ||||
Lumix | 2.13 c | 4.47 d | 6.73 c | 13.33 c |
Vivat | 2.14 c | 4.53 cd | 6.29 d | 12.96 e |
VivatMn | 2.12 c | 4.64 c | 6.35 d | 13.11 d |
Lumix + Vivat | 2.40 b | 5.17 b | 7.53 b | 15.10 b |
Lumix + VivatMn | 2.82 a | 5.38 a | 7.86 a | 16.06 a |
Control | 2.06 c | 3.79 e | 5.62 e | 11.47 f |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05).
Treatment | ΨW | Chlorophyll a | Chlorophyll b | Chlorophyll total |
---|---|---|---|---|
MPa | dimensionless | |||
Lumix | −0.65 b | 36.03 c | 11.60 bc | 47.63 c |
Vivat | −0.71 bc | 36.80 bc | 11.80 b | 48.60 c |
VivatMn | −0.72 bc | 37.47 b | 13.13 a | 50.60 b |
Lumix + Vivat | −0.58 a | 38.37 a | 12.63 a | 51.00 b |
Lumix + VivatMn | −0.56 a | 39.50 a | 13.63 a | 53.13 a |
Control | −0.82 c | 32.67 d | 10.60 c | 43.27 d |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05).
The highest Chl a concentrations were observed for the combination treatments Lumix + Vivat and Lumix + VivatMn, which resulted in an average Chl a increase of 8.04% relative to the control. The highest Chl b concentrations were observed for the VivatMn, Lumix + Vivat and Lumix + VivatMn treatments, which resulted in an average Chl b increase of 19.26% relative to the control. The highest Chl t was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + VivatMn, which resulted in an average Chl t increase of 18.56% relative to the control. Therefore, VivatMn and the treatments containing Lumix combined with Vivat or VivatMn efficiently increased and maintained the soybean chlorophyll levels (
All treatments resulted in higher leaf concentrations of primary [(nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)] and secondary [sulfur (S), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)] macronutrients compared to the control treatment (
The highest leaf N concentrations were observed for the combination treatments Lumix + Vivat and Lumix + VivatMn, which resulted in an average leaf N concentration increase of 9.98 g∙kg−1 (19.85%) relative to the control (
Treatment | N | P | K | S | Ca | Mg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
g kg−1 | ||||||
Lumix | 47.64 b | 4.65 a | 15.52 b | 3.38 b | 10.54 a | 3.52 a |
Vivat | 46.48 b | 4.36 bc | 15.03 b | 2.40 c | 10.75 a | 2.67 c |
VivatMn | 45.42 b | 3.82 d | 10.56 c | 2.15 d | 5.09 b | 1.99 d |
Lumix + Vivat | 50.43 a | 4.44 ab | 18.51 a | 3.62 a | 8.47 a | 2.95 b |
Lumix + VivatMn | 50.42 a | 4.12 c | 14.09 b | 3.10 b | 8.37 a | 2.50 c |
Control | 40.44 c | 3.20 e | 10.58 c | 1.78 e | 6.86 b | 1.52 e |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05).
efficiently increased the N supply, accumulation and availability. Although only Lumix supplied N, this higher N accumulation in leaves could be explained because both Vivat and VivatMn contained manganese (Mn). The supplied Mn resulted in higher Mn uptake and accumulation by the plants, which increased the plant N demand, uptake and accumulation.
The highest P concentration was observed for the Lumix treatment, which resulted in an average P concentration increase of 1.45 g∙kg−1 (31.18%) relative to the control (
The highest K concentration was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + Vivat, which resulted in an average leaf K concentration increase of 7.93 g∙kg−1 (42.84%) relative to the control (
The highest S concentration was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + Vivat, which resulted in an average leaf S concentration increase of 1.84 g∙kg−1 (50.83%) relative to the control (
All treatments resulted in higher leaf Ca concentrations compared to the control and were not significantly different from one another, resulting in an average leaf Ca concentration increase of 2.48 g∙kg−1 (26.55%) relative to the control (
The highest Mg concentration was observed for the Lumix treatment, which resulted in an average leaf Mg concentration increase of 2.0 g∙kg−1 (56.81%) relative to the control (
All treatments (except for Cu in the VivatMn treatment) resulted in higher leaf micronutrient concentrations [copper (Cu), iron (Fe), Mn, zinc (Zn) and B] compared to the control treatment (
The highest leaf Cu concentration was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + Vivat, which resulted in an average increase of 3.62 mg kg−1 (36.27%) relative to the control (
The highest leaf Fe concentration was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + Vivat, which resulted in an average increase of 45.30 mg kg−1 (32.63%) relative to the control (
The highest Mn concentration was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + VivatMn, which resulted in an average increase of 38.03 mg kg−1 (48.87%) relative to the control (
The highest Zn concentration was observed for the combination treatment Lumix + Vivat, which resulted in an average increase of 38.60 mg kg−1 (46.54%) relative to the control (
The highest B concentrations were observed for the Lumix and Lumix + Vivat treatments, which resulted in an average increase of 60.08 mg kg−1 (30.81%)
Treatment | Cu | Fe | Mn | Zn | B |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
mg kg−1 | |||||
Lumix | 9.90 ab | 115.64 d | 62.27 c | 64.42 b | 60.84 a |
Vivat | 9.11 bc | 120.16 c | 59.57 d | 55.89 c | 49.57 c |
VivatMn | 6.84 cd | 123.85 b | 67.93 b | 51.19 d | 47.83 c |
Lumix + Vivat | 10.74 a | 138.81 a | 66.67 b | 82.93 a | 59.32 ab |
Lumix + VivatMn | 9.31 ab | 136.13 d | 77.81 a | 61.05 b | 57.32 b |
Control | 6.36 d | 93.51 e | 39.78 e | 44.33 e | 41.57 d |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05).
relative to the control (
No significant differences in the weight of 100 seeds (W100S) were observed between treatments. However, all tested treatments resulted in a higher grain yield (GY) than the control treatment (
All treatments resulted in decreased flower abortion (FA), pod abortion (PA) and total abortion (TA) compared to the control treatment (
The lowest FA values were observed for the combination treatments T(2 × 500) + VB and T750 + VB, with an average decrease of 24.65% relative to the control. The lowest PA and TA values were observed for the combination treatment T750 + VB, with an average decrease of 31.93% relative to the control for both parameters (
In the different treatments was observed the increase in calcium (Ca) and boron (B) compared to the control (
All treatments resulted in increased W100S and GY values compared to the control treatment (
Treatment | W100S | GY |
---|---|---|
g | kg ha−1 | |
Lumix | 14.52 a | 3192.00 c |
Vivat | 14.75 a | 3199.20 c |
VivatMn | 14.97 a | 3174.60 d |
Lumix + Vivat | 14.74 a | 3372.00 b |
Lumix + VivatMn | 14.68 a | 3412.20 a |
Control | 14.52 a | 3039.60 e |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05).
Treatment | FA | PA | TA | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
dimensionless | % | dimensionless | % | dimensionless | % | |
T250 + VB | 33.77 b | 46.69 | 16.77 d | 46.30 | 52.87 a | 73.10 |
T(2 × 250) + VB | 38.50 cd | 47.16 | 13.99 c | 43.05 | 63.14 d | 77.33 |
T500 + VB | 34.07 b | 43.37 | 13.35 c | 42.27 | 60.32 c | 76.79 |
T(2 × 500) + VB | 29.39 a | 40.45 | 10.29 b | 33.69 | 52.40 a | 72.13 |
T750 + VB | 30.02 a | 42.58 | 8.91 a | 33.80 | 53.06 a | 75.25 |
T(2 × 750) + VB | 37.85 c | 45.97 | 11.03 b | 40.09 | 65.85 e | 79.98 |
T1000 + VB | 37.47 c | 47.96 | 11.10 b | 39.31 | 60.98 c | 78.06 |
T(2 × 1000) + VB | 39.81 f | 48.46 | 11.18 b | 37.94 | 63.86 d | 77.74 |
Control | 39.42 de | 57.69 | 13.09 c | 51.15 | 55.83 b | 81.71 |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). T250 + VB: 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 250) + VB: 2 applications of 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T500 + VB: 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 500) + VB: 2 applications of 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T750 + VB: 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 750) + VB: 2 applications of 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T1000 + VB: 1000 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 1000) + VB: 2 applications of 100 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB.
Treatment | Ca | B |
---|---|---|
g kg−1 | mg kg−1 | |
T250 + VB | 5.98 d | 47.32 e |
T(2 × 250) + VB | 6.44 c | 54.08 d |
T500 + VB | 6.85 bc | 58.84 b |
T(2 × 500) + VB | 7.48 a | 59.59 a |
T750 + VB | 6.86 b | 54.83 cd |
T(2 × 750) + VB | 6.98 b | 57.50 b |
T1000 + VB | 6.68 bc | 55.32 c |
T(2 × 1000) + VB | 6.95 b | 57.40 b |
Control | 4.26 e | 39.31 f |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). T250 + VB: 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 250) + VB: 2 applications of 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T500 + VB: 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 500) + VB: 2 applications of 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T750 + VB: 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 750) + VB: 2 applications of 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T1000 + VB: 1000 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 1000) + VB: 2 applications of 100 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB.
T(2 × 1000) + VB, with an average increase of 297.0 kg ha−1 (9.02%) relative to the control. Therefore, treatments containing Tripper applied during the reproductive stage efficiently increased the soybean GY.
Grain Filling (Experiment IV)All treatments resulted in an increased grain dry weight (GDW) at all grain filling stages (R5.1, R5.2, R5.3 and R5.4) compared to the control treatment (
Treatment | W100S | GY |
---|---|---|
g | Kg ha−1 | |
T250 + VB | 15.98 cd | 3144.60 d |
T(2 × 250) + VB | 15.76 cd | 3160.23 cd |
T500 + VB | 16.12 cd | 3234.61 bcd |
T(2 × 500) + VB | 16.41 bc | 3339.66 a |
T750 + VB | 16.44 abc | 3250.87 ab |
T(2 × 750) + VB | 17.32 ab | 3313.85 ab |
T1000 + VB | 15.86 cd | 3283.81 ab |
T(2 × 1000) + VB | 17.49 a | 3267.43 ab |
Control | 15.28 e | 2994.22 e |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). T250 + VB: 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 250) + VB: 2 applications of 250 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T500 + VB: 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 500) + VB: 2 applications of 500 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T750 + VB: 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 750) + VB: 2 applications of 750 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T1000 + VB: 1000 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB; T(2 × 1000) + VB: 2 applications of 100 mL∙ha−1 Tripper + VivatB.
Treatment | GDW | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
R5.1 | R5.2 | R5.3 | R5.4 | R5.5 | |
g | |||||
A250 | 6.16 cdD | 14.87 dC | 21.61 eB | 32.37 hA | 36.88 eA |
A(2 × 250) | 6.66 bcD | 16.66 cC | 22.85 cB | 33.88 gA | 38.08 dA |
A500 | 7.53 abD | 16.97 cC | 25.14 cB | 37.13 eA | 40.57 cA |
A(2 × 500) | 7.02 bcD | 18.05 bC | 24.85 cA | 38.05 cdA | 41.08 bcA |
A750 | 6.68 bcD | 18.35 bC | 25.05 cA | 38.68 bcA | 41.35 abcA |
A(2 × 750) | 6.27 cdD | 20.69 aC | 29.42 aB | 41.79 aA | 41.89 abA |
A1000 | 6.04 cdD | 16.48 cC | 26.54 bB | 39.53 bA | 42.21 aA |
A(2 × 1000) | 8.35 aD | 16.83 cC | 26.75 bB | 35.54 fA | 38.02 dA |
Control | 5.52 dB | 11.38 eB | 16.91 fB | 28.34 iA | 32.20 fA |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). A250: 250 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 250): 2 applications of 250 g∙ha−1 Apport; A500: 500 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 500): 2 applications of 500 g∙ha−1 Apport; A750: 750 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 750): 2 applications of 750 g∙ha−1 Apport; A1000: 1000 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 1000): 2 applications of 100 g∙ha−1 Apport.
For grain filling stage R5.1, the highest GDWs were observed for treatments A500 and A(2 × 1000), with an average increase of 30.47% relative to the control. For grain filling stage R5.2, the highest GDW was observed for treatment A(2x750), with an average increase of 44.99% relative to the control. For grain filling stage R5.3, the highest GDW was observed for treatment A(2 × 750), with an average increase of 42.52% relative to the control. For grain filling stage R5.4, the highest GDW was observed for treatment A(2 × 750), with an average increase of 32.18% relative to the control. For grain filling stage R5.5, the highest GDWs were observed for treatments A750, A(2 × 750) and A1000, with an average increase of 9.06% relative to the control (
With the exceptions of A250, A(2 × 250), A500, A(2 × 500) and A750, all of the treatments resulted in higher W100S than the control treatment. The highest W100S values were observed for treatments A(2 × 750) and A(2 × 1000), with an average increase of 12.67% relative to the control (
With the exceptions of A250, A(2 × 250), A500 and A(2 × 500), all of the treatments resulted in higher GYs than the control treatment. The highest GYs were observed for treatments A(2x500), A750, A(2 × 750), A1000 and A(2 × 1000), with an average increase of 230.75 kg ha−1 (7.06%) relative to the control (
The use of growth regulators during germination can improve seedling performance, increase the seedling emergence rate and maximize the seed potential in several species [
Weber [
Treatment | W100S | GY |
---|---|---|
g | Kg ha−1 | |
A250 | 16.90 cd | 3072.55 d |
A(2 × 250) | 17.63 bc | 3144.62 cd |
A500 | 17.08 bcd | 3165.08 bcd |
A(2 × 500) | 17.88 abc | 3225.23 abc |
A750 | 16.36 d | 3275.40 a |
A(2 × 750) | 18.94 a | 3307.28 a |
A1000 | 17.47 bc | 3249.64 ab |
A(2 × 1000) | 18.09 ab | 3282.26 a |
Control | 16.17 d | 3037.21 d |
Values followed by the same letter within same column were not significantly different according to Tukey test (p < 0.05). A250: 250 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 250): 2 applications of 250 g∙ha−1 Apport; A500: 500 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 500): 2 applications of 500 g∙ha−1 Apport; A750: 750 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 750): 2 applications of 750 g∙ha−1 Apport; A1000: 1000 g∙ha−1 Apport; A(2 × 1000): 2 applications of 100 g∙ha−1 Apport.
sowing resulted in a better performance and longer roots. Growth regulators applied during the first stages of plant development result in increased root growth, resulting in faster recovery following drought stress; higher resistance to insects, pests, diseases and nematodes; and faster and uniform plant establishment. These effects lead to increased plant nutrient uptake and therefore plant production [
The effects of inoculation alone on the soybean yield have been observed to present high variability, ranging from pronounced positive effects (i.e., increased nodule dry weight, shoot dry weight, plant nitrogen concentrations and yield) [
Diesel et al. [
Zobiole et al. [
Franchini et al. [
Correia and Durigan [
Villetti et al. [
The number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and W100S are especially important yield components in soybean [
Musskopf and Bier [
Fakir et al. [
Several studies have indicated that the soybean yield is limited by the assimilate source capacity at the early reproductive stage. Source limitation for short periods between stages R1 and R5 can cause severe decreases in the yield, especially in response to the lower number of pods [
The total grain yield depends on a set of characteristics, with an emphasis on seed size and weight, which depend on higher plant vigor and a longer fruiting period [
Staut [
Egli and Bruening [
The use of Tonik® combined with Nodumax® and PreventCoMo® for seed treatment resulted in a higher number of emerged plants.
During the initial stage, seed treatment with Tonik® combined with Nodumax® and PreventCoMo® resulted in the highest plant height, stem diameter, root length, root width, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, root dry weight, total dry weight and leaf water potential and thus a higher grain yield.
During the vegetative stage, treatment with Lumix® combined with Vivat® or VivatMn® resulted in the highest plant height, stem diameter, number of nodes, leaf area, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, root dry weight, total dry weight, leaf water potential, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll and leaf nutrient accumulation and thus a higher grain yield.
During the flowering stage, two applications of Tripper® combined with 500 mL ha−1 VivatB® decreased flower abortion, pod abortion and total abortion and consequently increased the yield.
During the grain filling stage, two applications of 500 g・ha−1 Apport® resulted in the highest grain dry weight, grain dry weight accumulation and grain yield.
The authors would like to thank the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), the Foundation for Research Support of the State of Goiás (FAPEG), the Coordination for Upgrading Higher Institution Personnel (CAPES), the Brazilian Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), FINEP for funding the current scientific project; the Company Tecno Nutrição Vegetal e Biotecnologia Ltda and IF Goiano - Campus Rio Verde, GO.
da Silva, N.F., Clemente, G.S., Teixeira, M.B., Soares, F.A.L., Cunha, F.N. and da Silva Azevedo, L.O. (2017) Use of Foliar Fertilizers for the Specific Physiological Management of Dif- ferent Soybean Crop Stages. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 8, 810-834. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajps.2017.84056