Validation of fertilizer recommendations for soybean under high yielding crop production systems in Central and South of Russia

Fertilizer recommendations for soybean are developed and adjusted in field experiments conducted in Central and Southern Russia.

IPNI-2013-RUS-SOY56

01 Feb 2013

Project Description

    1. Background

Driven by the demand from fast developing husbandry (poultry and pig production) soybean acreage in Russia has been increased by 3.1 times or by 1.0 M ha during the last 10 years (from 0.48 M ha in 2002 to 1.48 M ha in 2012) while soybean production has been increased by 4.3 times (from 0.42 M t in 2002 to 1.81 M t in 2012) as shown in Table 1. This increase in soybean production was mainly due to the corresponding increase in sown area and also yield improvement from 0.67-0.92 t/ha in 2006-2008 to 1.01-1.43 t/ha in 2009-2012.

Table 1. Area, production and yield of soybean in Russia
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Area, M ha
0.48
0.58
0.57
0.72
0.84
0.78
0.75
0.87
1.21
1.23
1.48
Production, M t
0.42
0.39
0.55
0.62
0.74
0.60
0.69
0.94
1.22
1.76
1.81
Yield, t/ha
0.89
0.67
0.97
0.86
0.87
0.77
0.92
1.08
1.01
1.43
1.22

There are 3 major soybean producing regions in Russia: Far East, South and Centre (Table 2). The Far East is a biggest one and soybean harvested here is mainly exported to neighboring countries (China, South Korea and Japan). The domestic consumption of soybean in Russia is mainly generated in two regions: Centre and South. The imported soybean still has a considerable market share in the country in spite of expanding local production.

Table 2. Major soybean producing regions (Federal Districts) in Russia.
Area, M ha
(2011)
Production, M t
(2011)
Yield, t/ha
(2009-2011 av.)
Far East
0.80 (65)*
1.11 (63)
1.18
South + North Caucasus
0.20 (16)
0.32 (18)
1.48
Centre
0.15 (12)
0.26 (15)
1.12
* Brackets show the percentage.

South Russia that includes two Federal Districts (South and North Caucasus) is the 2nd important soybean producing area in the country. Soybean is mainly grown here in Krasnodar Krai (73% sown area in 2012), Stavropol Krai (13%), and Rostov Oblast (7%). Yields of soybean are steadily improving mainly due to introduction of new varieties. However, the average yield level is still low (Table 3). The average attainable and potential yields of modern soybean varieties in South Russia are estimated as 2.6 and 3.8 t/ha, respectively.


Table 3. Area, production and yield of soybean in South Russia (Southern + North Caucasus Federal Districts).
2009
2010
2011
Area, M ha
0.14
0.22
0.20
Production, M t
0.22
0.27
0.32
Yield, t/ha
1.63
1.22
1.59

Soybean is a relatively new crop in Central Russia. In this region, soybean production started only 10 years ago. However, sown area under soybean expanded very rapidly. In 2011, there was increase by 90% over 2010 and the acreage reached 0.15 M ha. The average soybean production was only 0.05 M t in 2006-2010 however it was already 0.24 M t in 2011. Such an increase in soybean production was due to both area expansion and yield improvement. There are 4 major soybean producing regions in Central Russia: Belgorod, Kursk, Oryol, and Voronezh Oblasts (Table 4). According to published research data the attainable yields vary from 2.4 to 3.0 t/ha for major local modern varieties while potential yields vary from 3.0 to 3.7 t/ha.

Table 4. Area, production and yield of soybean in Central Russia by Oblast.
Region
Area, M ha
(% in CR)
Production, M t
Yield, t/ha
Average
2006-2010
2011
Average 2006-2010
2011
Central Russia
0.15 (100%)
0.05
0.25
0.9
1.7
Belgorod
0.08 (53%)
0.03
0.14
0.9
1.8
Kursk
0.03 (20%)
0.005
0.04
0.9
1.6
Voronezh
0.01 (7%)
0.004
0.013
0.7
1.4
Oryol
0.02 (13%)
0.003
0.03
1.0
2.0

Possible strategies to increase yields and efficiencies of soybean production systems in both South and Central Russia includes the improvement of soybean management, namely mineral fertilizer application (P and K, micronutrients), herbicide use, and tillage practices. It is important to note that the average nutrient application to soybean in Russia in 2011 was as follows (kg/ha): N – 13, P2O5 – 13, K2O – 4. Thus, K fertilizers are practically neglected by soybean growers. Fertilizer statistics in Russia is available for agrienterprises and doesn’t comprise farmers.
    2. Project goals

The following goal is to be achieved under real crop production conditions of large-scale industrial farms:
      · Validation of optimized fertilizer recommendations for soybean grown in high yielding crop production systems.
    3. Location of trails

Central Russia – Belgorodskaya oblast (2 locations)
South of Russia – Krasnodar krai (3 locations)

    4. Experimental design

South of Russia

The experimental setup (inoculation and Mo seed treatment will be done in all treatments) is given below. NPK rates indicated in nutrients.
    1) Control (no fertilizer)
    2) N18 (urea as starter, 2 cm × 2 cm)
    3) N9P39 (MAP as starter, 2 cm × 2 cm)
    4) N9P39K60 (MAP as starter, 2 cm × 2 cm + MOP by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation)
    5) N18P78 (MAP as starter, 2 cm × 2 cm)
6) N18P78K60 (MAP as starter, 2 cm × 2 cm + MOP by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation)

Plot size = 42 m2 (6 rows × 10 m length) or 84 m2 (6 rows × 20 m length).
Row spacing = 70 cm.
No of replications = 4.

Central Russia

The experimental setup (inoculation and Mo seed treatment will be done in all treatments) is given below. NPK rates indicated in nutrients.
    1) Control (no fertilizer)
    2) N18 (urea) by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation
    3) N9P39 (MAP) by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation
    4) N9P39K60 (MAP + MOP) by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation
    5) N18P78 (MAP) by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation
6) N18P78K60 (MAP + MOP) by pre-plant broadcast prior to spring cultivation

Plot size = 42 m2 (6 rows × 10 m length) or 84 m2 (6 rows × 20 m length).
Row spacing = 70 cm.
No of replications = 4.
    5. Parameters studied:
      1. Soil parameters:
          i. Soil type and soil textural class
          ii. Initial soil characteristics (mixed soil sample from the field before field experiment initiation, 0-20 cm depth): OM, ðÍ (Í2Î), ammonium-N, nitrate-N, available P and K (routine tests), Olsen Ð, exchangeable Ê, easily exchangeable K extracted with CaCl2 (Central Russia only)
      2. Previous crop management: mineral fertilizers applied and sources, organic fertilizer rate and source (if applied), nutrient contents of the organic fertilizer source (may be published data), tillage practice, residue management (% retained), yield, nutrient removal with harvested and other crop parts (may be published data), K content of irrigation water if irrigated (may be published data)
      3. Soybean management: tillage practice, time of mineral fertilizer application, variety, planting date, planting density, emergence date, phenology (if possible); weed, disease and pests management practices; plant population; date of harvest
      4. Potential yield of soybean variety in the location or maximum attainable yield in the most favorable season in the past
      5. Maximum attainable yield of the variety in the location in the same season (if higher than the yield from the optimal NPK treatment)
      6. Growing season rainfall (if possible)
      7. Drought occurrence in the location (how often)
      8. Soybean yield structure
      9. Soybean yield
      10. Soybean seed quality: 1000 seeds weight, protein and oil content, trypsin inhibitor activity (South Russia only)
      11. Whole plant dry matter accumulation and nutrient (N, P, and K) uptake. Parameters measured:
          a. Dry matter of the following plant parts:
              i. seeds
              ii. straw
          b. Nutrient (N, P, K) concentration (% on a dry matter basis) of the following plant parts:
              i. seeds
              ii. straw