Soybean productivity and financial viability with rhizobacteria, farming systems, and phosphorus doses

Abstract

This study investigates sustainable agricultural practices through the integration of multifunctional microorganisms and crop diversification in soybean cultivation. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Arroz e Feijão, using a 2 × 2 × 4 factorial design with randomized blocks and four replications. The treatments involved the combination of four multifunctional microorganisms (Burkholderia sp. (BRM 32111), Serratia sp. (BRM 63523), Bacillus sp. (BRM 63524), and the control, without microorganisms), two phosphorus levels (50% and 100% of the recommended P2O5 dose), and two cropping systems (soybean/rice/common beans or soybean/corn/common beans). Soybeans were cultivated in the summer (November–January), rice or corn during the off-season (January–May), and common beans in winter (June–September). The results showed that the use of rhizobacteria BRM 32111 and BRM 63523 resulted in the highest soybean yields, offering the greatest economic returns among the treatments. Additionally, cultivating rice in the off-season, combined with the use of phosphorus-solubilizing rhizobacteria, demonstrated significant potential as a sustainable agricultural practice by reducing chemical fertilizer use and improving crop nutritional efficiency, promoting agroecological sustainability.