Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the biomass and nitrogen accumulation in early maturing soybean plants experiencing contrasting weather conditions. Soybean (<em>Glycine max</em>) is a species of agricultural crop plant that is widely described in scientific publications. During 2014–2016, a field experiment with early maturing soybean ‘Merlin’ was carried out at Grodziec Śląski, Poland (49°48'01" N, 18°52'04" E). Results showed that the morphological traits of the plants, the yield of individual plants, and the soybean crop were all closely related to the climatic conditions. A high amount of precipitation stimulated seed development, resulting in a high production potential. The harvest index calculated for soybean ‘Merlin’ was high and exceeded 0.5 g g<sup>−1</sup>. The nitrogen content of the aboveground biomass increased during ontogenesis. The maximum yield of dry matter was noted at the green maturity phase, which subsequently decreased at the full maturity phase because of the loss of the leaf fraction. The variation in the effectiveness of nitrogen accumulation in seeds between 2015 and 2016 was 30%. The nitrogen harvest index values were high in each year of the experiment and exceeded 0.92 g<sup>−1</sup>. For the production of 1 ton of seeds with an adequate amount of soybean straw, plants needed, on average, 68 kg of nitrogen.
Highlights
In the terms of its economic importance, soybean [genus: Glycine Willd, species: Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is the leading crop species in the bean family (Fabaceae)
Soybean meal imported into European countries, including Poland, contains genetically modified protein, this product is not welcomed by a part of the society [5]
The climatic conditions prevailing during the term of the experiment influenced the morphological traits of soybean plants at the full flowering stage (Tab. 4)
Summary
In the terms of its economic importance, soybean [genus: Glycine Willd, species: Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is the leading crop species in the bean family (Fabaceae). Poland has been importing 2 million tons of soybean meal, costing about €1 billion, annually [4]. Over the past 10 years, the import of soybean meal has doubled. It should be emphasized that the soybean meal imported into the country is derived from the processed seeds of GMO (genetically modified organism) cultivars. Soybean meal imported into European countries, including Poland, contains genetically modified protein, this product is not welcomed by a part of the society [5]. Soybean cultivation extends over 121 Mha. At the same time, the seed yield production reaches 340.8 Mt. There
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