Brazil stands out as the world's largest producer of soybeans, an oilseed of extreme commercial relevance. Due to its high protein and oil content, this crop plays an important role for the Brazilian economy. Its use ranges from the production of vegetable oil, animal and human food, to the manufacture of biodiesel. Due to these factors, investments in technologies aimed at expanding production and mitigating the risks inherent to this culture are justified.
Drought has been identified as one of the main climatic events that has negatively impacted the final productivity of soybean grains, as observed in the last three harvests, in the South region. In soybean cultivation, two are the most critical periods in relation to water availability . The first critical period occurs between sowing and crop emergence, which can result in a reduction in germination and crop stand. The second period, and perhaps the most critical in relation to lack of water, occurs during flowering and grain filling, which can have a strong impact on the final productivity of soybeans.
Why carry out seeding staggering?
Sowing staggering, with sowing at different times, is an essential strategy to mitigate losses during critical periods and maximize the crop's yield potential. This approach involves soybean sowing at different periods within the recommended zoning for each region, instead of being carried out all at once across the entire field.
In general, when a water deficit occurs during the vegetative stage of soybeans, but is followed by an adequate supply of water during the reproductive period, the plants recover, minimizing the impact on productivity. However, when water deficit occurs during the reproductive period, more drastic reductions in final grain productivity are observed.
In this way, staggering sowing helps to avoid the coincidence of possible water deficits with crucial moments for soybean development, while also reducing risks related to damage caused by pests and diseases, in addition to optimizing the use of available resources. The scheduling of sowing also optimizes operational issues in the production unit, without disruptions in the different stages involving sowing, phytosanitary management and, in the end, harvest.
Use cultivars with different maturity groups
Another strategy available to producers is the use of cultivars with different maturity groups. Evolution in genetic improvement has resulted in cultivars more adapted to each microregion, as well as those more suitable for different sowing times, providing greater flexibility and optimization in the choice of cultivars.
The use of cultivars with different maturity groups in soybean cultivation provides producers with the ability to extend the harvest period. The use of cultivars with different maturation groups is yet another strategy to mitigate the impacts of adverse weather conditions, such as intense rains or prolonged droughts, which can negatively affect the crop. By sowing early, medium and late maturing varieties, producers are able to minimize the risk of losses resulting from unpredictable weather events, while at the same time diversifying their production.
Finally, a hybrid approach allows producers to adapt their growing practices based on the specific conditions of each crop and the characteristics of the local environment. For example, in years with forecast challenging weather patterns, it is possible to opt for a greater staggering of sowing. At other times, when climatic conditions are more favorable, preference may be given to using cultivars from different maturation groups.
This combination of strategies offers a greater capacity to respond to environmental variations and contributes to more efficient management of resources, optimizing the use of land, labor and agricultural inputs. Furthermore, it provides greater security against significant losses, helping producers to face the challenges that agriculture can present with more confidence.
Therefore, adopting a hybrid approach that integrates seeding staggering and the use of cultivars with different maturity groups is often the most effective strategy for farmers in soybean production. This offers flexibility, adaptability and risk management in a constantly evolving agricultural sector. In addition to everything that has been said, it is worth remembering the importance of building a production environment that provides the soil with a greater capacity for infiltration and water storage.
By Lucas de Mattos and Maurício Piccoli Bonatti, academics from the Agronomy course at UFSM, Campus Frederico Westphalen, members of the Tutorial Education Program (PET) Agricultural Sciences, under the supervision of the tutor, professor Dr. Claudir José Basso.
