Effect of water deficit and sowing date on oil and protein contents in soybean co-inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense

Abstract

The soybean chemical composition is strongly influenced by genetic factors, as well as their interaction with the environment and management practices. Among the environmental factors, water deficit and temperature are those that most contribute to modify the chemical composition of beans, especially oil and protein contents. The present study aimed to assess the effects of co-inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense on soybean oil and protein contents. Two field experiments were carried out on different sowing dates. The design consisted of randomized blocks, in a split-split-plot arrangement, with four replications, including two irrigation depths (25 % and 100 % of the ETc), two inoculation methods [Bradyrhizobium japonicum (strains Semia 5079 and Semia 5080) and Azospirillum brasilense (strains AbV5 and AbV6 + Bradyrhizobium japonicum)] and two cultivars (ANTA 82 and TMG 132). The co-inoculation did not affect the oil and protein contents of beans for any of the assessed management conditions. The water deficit in the reproductive stage, combined with the sowing dates, altered the oil and protein contents in both the assessed cultivars, showing, respectively, a higher average protein and oil content in the beans for the cultivars TMG 132 and ANTA 82.

KEYWORDS: Glycine max (L.) Merrill., rhizobacteria, abiotic stress.