Soybean seed protein concentration is limited by nitrogen supply in tropical and subtropical environments in Brazil

Abstract Soybean production contributes to ca. 60% of global plant-based protein used for food and feed. Brazil is the largest soybean producer and exporter, with 60% from tropical and 40% from subtropical environments. Nitrogen (N) can play an essential role in the storage of proteins in seeds; thu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of agricultural science 2023-04, Vol.161 (2), p.279-290
Main Authors: Figueiredo Moura da Silva, E. H., Cafaro La Menza, N., Munareto, G. G., Zanon, A. J., Santos Carvalho, K., Marin, F. R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Classification
Corn
Crop production
Crop yield
Experiments
Fertilization
Food security
Intensive farming
Irrigation
Latitude
Nitrogen
Plant-based foods
Proteins
Rain
Seasons
Seeds
Soybeans
Subtropical zones
Temperate environments
Water deficit
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Summary:Abstract Soybean production contributes to ca. 60% of global plant-based protein used for food and feed. Brazil is the largest soybean producer and exporter, with 60% from tropical and 40% from subtropical environments. Nitrogen (N) can play an essential role in the storage of proteins in seeds; thus, it could be a key factor in increasing the quantity and quality of seeds in high-yielding soybean crops. Unlike in temperate environments, there is a gap of knowledge on whether soybean grown under tropical and subtropical climates are limited by N-fertilization to sustain the seed yield increase without detriments in seed protein concentration. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of N-fertilization on soybean seed yield, protein and oil concentrations in tropical and subtropical environments in Brazil, thus contributing to agricultural intensification procedures and food security studies. Two levels of N-fertilization (0 and 1000 ka/ha) were tested across 11 tropical or subtropical environments. The range of latitudes explored here was from 12°S to 29°S, representing the major soybean-producing regions in Brazil either under rainfed or irrigated conditions. We found that seed yield responses to N-fertilization were significant (in some environments under rainfed with an average increase of 7%) or not significant (in irrigated). Seed protein increases due to improved N-fertilization (on average 4% for irrigated and 12% for rainfed conditions) were much higher than previous reports from temperate environments. Regardless of N supply and water deficit, there was a trend of seed protein and oil concentration increasing toward lower latitudes.
ISSN:0021-8596
1469-5146
DOI:10.1017/S0021859623000199