On Oct. 1, 2012, the Cultivar (a publishing group that focuses on plant health and agricultural mechanization in Brazil) reported that it’s time to plant soybean in Brazil in the 2012/13 growing season. Inoculating rhizobium japonicum, the main way to increase fertility and soybean yield, is still playing an important role in decreasing the usage of nitrogen fertilizers and increasing the yield of soybean in Brazil, according to CCM’s October issue of South America Crop Protection Monthly Report.
The planting area of soybean will increase by 2 million ha. to 26.8 million ha. in Brazil in 2012/13, according to the statement of Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento (Conab, a Brazilian statistical agency) in Sept. 2012. The new area has not been planted with soybean before, so it’s necessary to ensure the sufficient supply of nitrogen nutrient in order to get high yield of soybean in the new area.
However, Brazilian farmers prefer to adopt the rhizobium japonicum instead of nitrogen fertilizers, because the legume biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) system is more effective than traditional nitrogen fertilizers. And now, only a few or even no nitrogen fertilizers are used for planting soybean in Brazil.
There are several reasons that Brazilian farmers prefer to adopt the rhizobium japonicum instead of nitrogen fertilizers for planting soybean.
Firstly, adopting rhizobium japonicum can get higher soybean yield than adopting nitrogen fertilizers. Brazil began to research the biological and technical advantages of the legume BNF system from 1975, and began to use rhizobium japonicum instead of nitrogen fertilizers later. According to the historical data, the soybean yield increased to 1,725 kg/ha. in 1980 from 1,118 kg/ha. in 1960. With the mature technology of BNF, the soybean yield in Brazil has kept increasing since then. China mainly uses nitrogen fertilizers for planting soybean, and its yield of soybean is only about 1,800 kg/ha. in 2011/12 which is much lower than 2,740 kg/ha. in Brazil during the same period. Now, according to Conab's estimation, the yield of soybean in Brazil will continue to increase to 3,020 kg/ha. in 2012/13.
Secondly, rhizobium japonicum can bring more income for the farmers. There is only 50% of nitrogen fertilizers that can have an effect on soybean because of the influence of various external factors such as rainwash and temperature. But rhizobium japonicum can provide useful substance through the legume BNF system, which can not only help soybean grow but also cut costs for farmers. The research indicates that using rhizobium japonicum can increase the income for local farmers by about USD90-120/ha. in Brazil.
Thirdly, the technology of BNF can protect the environment. Owing to a symbiotic relationship between rhizobium japonicum and soybean, farmers using rhizobium japonicum for planting soybean will not contaminate the soil and water resources, but can reduce the emission of greenhouse gas instead.
Because the technology of BNF has a good effect on agricultural production, many countries begin to use this technology such as the US, Argentina and China. Brazil is the first country that uses BNF technology for the whole soybean planting area.
BNF is a process that some groups of bacteria, collectively called "rhizobia", capture nitrogen from the air to form a useful substance for plant.
Source: South America Crop Protection Monthly Report 1210
http://www.cnchemicals.com/Newsletter/NewsletterDetail_256.html
Content of South America Crop Protection Monthly Report 1210：
Brazil corn exports to increase in 2012/13
Paraguay to boost GM cotton production
Ecuadorian president says constitutional GM ban is a "mistake"
Russia's suspending import of GM corn unlikely to affect Brazil
Brazil MAPA and IBAMA regulate aerial application of pesticides on soybean
Ecuador begins to deliver fungicides to small banana growers
Syngenta to launch a fungicide to protect potato in Brazil
Aprosoja urges Brazilian farmers not to plant Monsanto's Intacta RR2Pro
Dow AgroScieneces to build a biotechnology research center in Argentina
Bayer CropScience to invest heavily in seed R&D
Sunflower planting makes good progress in Argentina
Rhizobium japonicum plays an important role in Brazil
Brazil coffee exports drop in Jan.-Sept. 2012
Harvested area of cotton to drop in Brazil in 2012/13
South America Crop Protection Monthly Report , a monthly publication issued by CCM International on 31th of every month, offers timely update and close follow-up of South America's Crop Protection industry dynamics, analyzes market data and finds out factors influencing market development.
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