Agri-environmental impacts on yield formation of soybean crop

Abstract

One of the most important leguminous crops that contributes to human alimentation and animal feed is soybean. The grain of the crop with its high nutritional value is an essential component for the food and feed industries worldwide. Grain yield of field crops highly depend on the agri-environmental conditions they are exposed to. The most influential factors are plant nutrition, plant protection and the influence of environmental, especially of biotic stresses. At the Department of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences some agri-environmental impacts on grain yield of soybean crop have been studied in a replicated field trial. N application and various means of weed control was studied, and samples of grain yield were evaluated in accordance with the treatments. Apart from agronomic applications continuous observation and recording of game damages of the crop was implemented. The results obtained suggest, that N topdressing had positive, but no significant effect on the amount of grain yield, however the means of weed control resulted in an almost twofold yield improvement compared to the control. Rabbit bite damages were monitored during yield formation. The extent of game damage was consequent but not significant regarding crop yield.