Soybean Production In Brazil Research Articles

Substrate-borne vibrations disrupt the mating behaviors of the neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros: implications for pest management

Stink bugs are key pests around the world. The principal method for managing these pests is the use of broad-spectrum insecticides. However, disrupting sexual communication could also be a biorational alternative for pest management. In this study, pure tone vibrations, mechanically transmitted to plants, were tested for their potential to disrupt the reproductive behavior of the neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros. This species is one of the main pests in soybean production in Brazil. Three experimental procedures were developed using artificial pure tone vibrations (20–200 Hz), which were played back and mechanically transmitted to plants as background noise. In Test 1, the impact of pure tones on the emission of male and female vibratory signals was analyzed. In Test 2, reproductive behavior was monitored in the presence of background noise, and in Test 3, long-term effects (24 h) of noise on reproductive success were evaluated. Results showed that pure tone vibrations of 75–200 Hz increased the proportion of females that spontaneously emitted signal while inhibiting the signaling and searching of males for females. It reduced copulation of 94.2–100% compared to control pairs. In long-term experiments, background noise delayed and slightly reduced mating frequency by 24.7%. Females exposed to background noise had reduced fecundity and fertility. This study demonstrates the potential of mechanical vibrations as a mating-disrupting tactic for stink bug management.

Insecticidal potential of Bacillus thuringiensis for the biological control of neotropical brown stink bug

AbstractEuschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is considered a major insect pest in soybean production in Brazil. The indiscriminate application of pesticides to fields leads to reduction in biodiversity, selection of resistant populations, emergence of new pest outbreaks, and damage to non‐target organisms. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of exposure to Cry proteins present in new isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, commercial formulations, and Bt soybean on E. heros development. The feeding preference of E. heros for Bt‐ vs. non‐Bt soybean was also evaluated. All treatments caused significant mortality to E. heros except the Bt soybean. Tests with combinations of isolated Bt‐toxins indicated that combinations had greater efficacy than other treatments (>98% mortality). The results demonstrate that E. heros is susceptible to B. thuringiensis toxins, which may contribute to the management of this insect in soybean agro‐ecosystems.

The rapid soybean growth in Brazil

Soybean is the main crop in Brazil, both in scale and in value. Nonetheless, the beginning was very humble. Soybean was a minor crop until the 1960s, when it was restricted to the South Region (subtropical), from where it expanded to the Midwest Region (tropical) in the 1980s. That was possible thanks to the development of cultivars well adapted to low latitude conditions of the Region. In the Midwest Region, home of the Cerrado Biome, the land was plentiful and affordable with flat topography, deep soils, well drained and easy to handle. The challenge was related to soil fertility, originally acidic and poor in nutrients. The role of research was of fundamental importance in overcoming that challenge. In the 1990s, soybean advanced towards the north center and in the 2000s, it expanded farther to the north (latitudes near 0°). Soybean has been the driving force behind Brazil’s recent agricultural development, with significant economic and social impact. Municipalities that grow soybean have achieved Human Development Indexes higher than the ones that do not grow soybean. Second place among the world’s largest producers, Brazil is expected to take the lead in the coming decade. To move forward, Brazil needs to use the assets it already has: technological efficiency for production in tropical lands, availability of arable lands and entrepreneurial farmers. The global demand for soybean and the associated market prices will determine how much Brazilian soybean production will grow in the coming years.

The Sino-Brazilian Telecoupled Soybean System and Cascading Effects for the Exporting Country

The global food market makes international players intrinsically connected through the flow of commodities, demand, production, and consumption. Local decisions, such as new economic policies or dietary shifts, can foster changes in coupled human–natural systems across long distances. Understanding the causes and effects of these changes is essential for agricultural-export countries, such as Brazil. Since 2000, Brazil has led the expansion of soybean planted area—19 million hectares, or 47.5% of the world’s increase. Soybean is among the major crop commodities traded globally. We use the telecoupling framework to analyze (i) the international trade dynamics between Brazil and China as the cause of the increased production of Brazilian soybean since 2000; (ii) and the cascading effects of the Sino-Brazilian telecoupled soybean system for Brazilian maize production and exports, with attention to consequences on domestic prices, availability, and risks associated with climatic extreme events. Census-based data at state and county levels, policy analysis, and interviews with producers and stakeholders guided our methodological approach. We identified that the Brazilian soybean production decreased maize single crop production and accelerated maize as a second crop following soybean, a practice that makes farmers more vulnerable to precipitation anomalies (e.g., rainfall shortage). In addition, the two-crop system of soybean/maize pressures the Brazilian maize market when unexpected events such as extreme droughts strike and when this results in a failed maize harvest in the second crop, most of which is for domestic consumption rather than export. Our study suggests the need to incorporate the telecoupling framework in land use decision-making and understanding landscape changes.

Freshwater ecotoxicity impacts from pesticide use in animal and vegetable foods produced in Sweden

Chemical pesticides are widely used in modern agriculture but their potential negative impacts are seldom considered in environmental assessments of food products. This study aims to assess and compare the potential freshwater ecotoxicity impacts due to pesticide use in the primary production of six food products: chicken fillet, minced pork, minced beef, milk, pea soup, and wheat bread. The assessment is based on a detailed and site-specific inventory of pesticide use in the primary production of the food products, all of which are produced in Sweden. Soybeans, used to produce the animal-based food products, are grown in Brazil. Pesticide emissions to air and surface water were calculated using PestLCI v. 2.0.5. Ecotoxicity impacts were assessed using USEtox v. 2.01, and expressed in relation to five functional units. The results show that the animal-based food products have considerably larger impact potentials than the plant-based food products. In relation to kg pea soup, impact potentials of bread, milk, minced beef, chicken fillet and minced pork are ca. 2, 3, 50, 140 and 170 times larger, respectively. All mass-based functional units yield the same ranking. Notably, chicken fillet and minced pork have larger impacts than minced beef and milk, regardless of functional unit, due to extensive use of pesticides, some with high toxicity, in soybean production. This result stands in sharp contrast to typical carbon footprint and land use results which attribute larger impacts to beef than to chicken and pork. Measures for reducing impacts are discussed. In particular, we show that by substituting soybeans with locally sourced feed crops, the impact potentials of minced pork and chicken fillet are reduced by ca. 70 and 90%, respectively. Brazilian soybean production is heavily reliant on pesticides. We propose that weak legislation, in combination with tropical climate and agronomic practices, explains this situation.

Morphological, biochemical, and molecular characterization of Meloidogyne spp. populations from Brazilian soybean production regions

ABSTRACT: Soybean is a commodity of great economic importance worldwide, particularly in Brazil, world’s second largest producer. Nematodes, especially those of the Meloidogyne genus, severely limit productivity. Identification of nematode species is important for effective soybean management. Here, 26 populations of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) from 15 municipalities in the states of Bahia, Mato Grosso, Goias, and Minas Gerais were characterized based on the morphology of the female perineal region, esterase profile, and identification based on amplification of specific regions of the population genome. Among the Meloidogyne spp. populations obtained, M. incognita and M. javanica, were identified. No mixed populations were present in the samples. Diagnosis based on molecular analysis was shown to be reliable and the fastest for characterization of nematode populations compared to other methods analyzed.

Meta‐analytic modelling of the incidence–yield and incidence–sclerotial production relationships in soybean white mould epidemics

White mould (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) is a destructive disease of soybean worldwide. However, little is known of its impact on soybean production in Brazil. A meta‐analytic approach was used to assess the relationship between disease incidence and soybean yield (35 trials) and between incidence and sclerotia production (29 trials) in experiments conducted in 14 locations across four seasons. Region, site elevation and season included as moderators in random‐effects and random‐coefficients models did not significantly explain the variability in the slopes of the incidence–yield relationship. The Pearson'sr, obtained from back‐transforming the Fisher'sZestimated by an overall random‐effects model, showed that incidence of white mould was moderately and negatively correlated with yield (r = −0.76,P < 0.0001). A random‐coefficients model estimated a slope of −17.2 kg ha−1%−1, for a mean attainable yield of 3455 kg ha−1, indicating that a 10% increase in white mould incidence would result in a mean yield reduction of 172 kg ha−1. White mould incidence and production of sclerotia were strongly and positively correlated (r = 0.85,P < 0.0001). For every 10% increase in white mould incidence, 1 kg ha−1of sclerotia was produced. The relationship between disease incidence and production of sclerotia was stronger in southern regions and at higher elevation. In the absence of management, economic losses associated with white mould epidemics, assuming 43% incidence in 22% of the soybean area, were estimated at approximatelyUS$1.47 billion annually within Brazil.

Case study of zero-tillage organic soybean production in Brazil

In the absence of the herbicide option, weed control is the major constraint to organic soybean production in southern Brazil and eastern Paraguay. A joint entrepreneurial initiative introduced innovative 6000-V electro-shock desiccation for pre-plant weed control in organic soybeans, under zero-tillage–conservation agriculture, complemented by already-proven inter-row cultivation and biological control methods for insects and diseases. To develop an efficient operating procedure, a field trial with the electro-shock treatment was carried out and showed 78.6% overall weed control 28 days after electro-shock treatment, and no significant difference between operating speeds of 3.42, 9.49 and 16.57 km h−1. Further research is required to improve equipment performance and prove the medium- and long-term economic and social benefits to policy-makers, in order to justify environmental services payments for this environmentally friendly system.

Assessment of a more conservative stink bug economic threshold for managing stink bugs in Brazilian soybean production

The objective of this study was to assess the stink bug economic threshold for soybean integrated pest management decisions. For this purpose, a replicated experiment was implement in a commercial soybean crop located in Arapongas, Parana State, Brazil, during two crop seasons: 2010/2011 and 2011/12. Treatments consisted of different stink bug densities triggering the application of insecticides, ¼ of the economic threshold (ET) (= 0.5 stink bugs m−1) and ET (= 2 stink bugs m−1), and without applying an insecticide (control). The stink bugs were quantified weekly and all specimens were identified to the species level. At harvest, yield and quality of the seeds were also measured. In all crops, Euschistus heros was the most abundant species. The highest yield and percentage of viable seeds were found in the 'BMX Power RR′ cultivar (indeterminate growth cultivar), indicating a better seed quality. At the end of the experiment, there was no observed difference in yield between different stink bug management thresholds, indicating the effectiveness of the control when adopting ET. This study demonstrates that decreasing the economic threshold increased the number of required insecticide applications, but did not increase yield or bean quality neither the net income when an economic analysis was performed.

Greenhouse gas assessment of Brazilian soybean production: a case study of Mato Grosso State

In recent years, the debate about environmental impacts and the sustainability of agricultural products has increased. Environmental impact indicators are increasingly being demanded for policy and decision-making processes. Consumers are more and more concerned about the quality of food products and now looking for those with a low environmental impact, with a particular attention to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There are few studies regarding the GHG emissions associated with the Brazilian soybean production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the main sources of GHG in soybean production in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Our analysis considered the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) from cradle to farm gate. We evaluated 55 farms in the crop years of 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10, accounting for 180,000 ha of soybean cultivation area and totaling 114 individual situations. The results indicated that the largest source of GHG in the soybean production is the decomposition of crop residues (36%), followed by fuel use (19%), fertilizer application (16%), liming (13%), pesticides (7%), seeds (8%) and electricity consumed at the farms (<1%). The average GHG emissions considering the three crop years were 0.186 kg of CO2eq kg−1 of soybean produced. We also categorized the results based on land use intensity and production areas. This study contributed to identify the main sources of GHG in the soybean production and indicate mitigation priorities associated to the soybean cultivation in Brazil. Further studies, including field experiments, should contribute to a better understanding of the profile of emissions from crop residues in Brazil.

Dispatches

Dispatches

RURAL CREDIT AS A FACTOR FOR DETERMINING THE EXPORTS OF SOYA BEANS, JUNE 2000 TO JANUARY 2010

Rural credit was considered an input capable of increasing the Brazilian soybean production, shifting the supply curve to the right internal and generating surplus exportable grain. The main objective of this study was to analyze the effects of rural credit in Brazilian exports of soybeans during the period June 2000 to January 2010. The theoretical support was the theory of production and export supply. The results obtained by the model error correction (VEC), indicated that rural credit was one of the most significant determinants for the evolution of Brazilian exports of soybeans, behind only the exchange rate. The credit had positive and direct relationship with the quantity supplied showing the second largest estimated coefficient of elasticity.

Poder de mercado e desenvolvimento de novas cultivares de soja transgênicas e convencionais: análise da experiência brasileira

In recent years , investments in research , development and innovation revolutionized soybean production in Brazil . In biotech , we highlight the development of new cultivars with characteristics adapted to different environmental conditions and , in many cases , transgenic resistant to the herbicide glyphosate . However, if provided to a limited number of companies , which owns the industrial property right on these innovations , market dominance . In this context , the aim of this study was to analyze the existing monopoly power in the development of soybean , transgenic and conventional segment in Brazil . To do so , we calculated the market share and the Herfindahl - Hirschman Index of innovations in biotechnology from property rights to cultivate , consolidated in the database of the National Register of Cultivars . The analysis showed that the concentration is low , with a trend of increased competition , for the segment of conventional seeds . In contrast , the transgenic seeds segment , the concentration levels are high and the tendency is to stay that way , because the entry of new firms in this market requires high technological development and availability of capital . At this juncture , sheltered by barriers to entry , concentration allows dominant firms to increase the price of the seed or the collection of royalties, unilaterally and in proportion as they see fit , which may , in the medium and long term , result in financial loss for soybean farmers .

Land institutions and supply chain configurations as determinants of soybean planted area and yields in Brazil

Soybean production has become a significant force for economic development in Brazil. It has also received considerable attention from environmental and social non-governmental organizations as a driver of deforestation and land consolidation. While many researchers have examined the impacts of soybean production on human and environmental landscapes, there has been little investigation into the economic and institutional context of Brazilian soybean production or the relationship between soy yields and planted area. This study examines the influence of land tenure, land use policy, cooperatives, and credit access on soy production in Brazil. Using county level data we provide statistical evidence that soy planted area and yields are higher in regions where cooperative membership and credit levels are high, and cheap credit sources are more accessible. This result suggests that soybean production and profitability will increase as supply chain infrastructure improves in the Cerrado and Amazon biomes in Brazil. The yields of competing land uses, wheat, coffee, and cattle production and a complementary use, corn production, also help to determine the location of soybean planted area in Brazil. We do not find a significant relationship between land tenure and planted area or land tenure and yields. Soy yields decline as transportation costs increase, but planted area as a proportion of arable land is highest in some of the areas with very high transportation costs. In particular, counties located within Mato Grosso and counties within the Amazon biome have a larger proportion of their arable, legally available land planted in soy than counties outside of the biome. Finally, we provide evidence that soy yields are positively associated with planted area, implying that policies intending to spare land through yield improvements could actually lead to land expansion in the absence of strong land use regulations. While this study focuses on Brazil, the results underscore the importance of understanding how supply chains influence land use associated with cash crops in other countries.

Exchange rates, soybean supply response, and deforestation in South America

The advancement of South America's agro-pastoral frontier has been widely linked to losses in biodiversity and tropical forests, with particular impacts on the Brazilian cerrado, the Atlantic Forest, and the Amazon. Here we consider an important, yet largely overlooked, driver of South America's soybean expansion, namely the devaluation of local currencies against the US dollar in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Much interest has emerged in recent years over the environmental implications of soybean production in Brazil, with evidence of both direct incursions into moist tropical forest by soybean producers and of potential indirect effects, via the displacement of existing ranching operations. In this research we utilize historical trends in soybean prices, exchange rates, and cropland dedicated to soybean production in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil to estimate the impact of currency devaluations on area of production. The results suggest that approximately 80,000km2, or 31% of the current extent of soybean production in these countries, emerged as a supply area response to the devaluation of local currencies in the late 1990s. The results also indicate that the more recent depreciation of the dollar and appreciation of the Brazilian real have counteracted a recent rise in global soybean prices, in the process sparing an estimated nearly 90,000km2 from new cropland, 40,000km2 of this in the Amazon alone. Amidst an increasingly neoliberal economic environment, where barriers to trade are jettisoned in favor of the free flow of commodities, relative currency values will occupy an important role in the future sourcing of both agricultural expansion and environmental degradation.

Soybean yield in response to application of phosphate rock associated with triple superphosphate

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) crop started to be planted in the Brazilian Cerrado in the 1970's, and this region currently contributes with 57% of total soybean production in Brazil. Under natural conditions in this region, the soils present chemical limitations such as low pH, low Cation Exchange Capacity, low nutrient availability, and moreover, clayey soils have a high P fixation capacity mainly due to high contents of Fe/Al oxides. Since P is the most limiting nutrient is this region, a study was performed in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, in a Typic Hapludox, with clayey texture and low available P (extracted by resin). Treatments were defined to evaluate soybean response to broadcast Arad phosphate rock (PR) plus banded triple superphosphate (TSP) and to evaluate the soybean response to three proportions of PR and TSP. The experiment was established in October 2004 and was carried out for three consecutive crop years (2004/05 to 2006/07). The associated use of PR and TSP, in several situations, resulted in yields at least similar to that obtained with the use of the water soluble P source and, in some cases, even using lower P rates. Regarding the "mixtures", a linear response was observed when they were banded; however, when they were broadcasted, no increase in yield was observed above 50% of relative solubility. In conclusion, the association of sources differing in solubility may be a feasible agronomic option for P fertilizer management of soybeans.

Managing technological and social uncertainties of innovation: The evolution of Brazilian energy and agriculture

This paper explores how technological, commercial and social uncertainties shaped the development of Brazilian biofuels. Technological innovation allowed the country to emerge as a global leader, but Brazil continues to struggle with major social uncertainties due to poverty and environmental concerns common in many emerging economies. Contemporary approaches to development within the innovation literature focus primarily on overcoming technological and commercial uncertainties, but only peripherally explore social uncertainties. To fill this void, we draw on Martin and Hall's framework for managing innovative uncertainties, which is based on Kuhn and Popper's approaches to the evolution and methodology of science, and extend it with Aldrich and Fiol's concept of cognitive versus socio-political legitimacy. Based on qualitative data collected in Brazil, we outline the evolution of automotive fuel ethanol and flex-fuel technology, the development of Brazilian soybean production, and castor for socially inclusive biodiesel production. We show how innovation solved some technological and commercial uncertainties and generated new opportunities, but also created additional social uncertainties that are now being addressed. Through this process, Brazil has acquired capabilities in alternative energy technologies and more sustainable agriculture, becoming an exemplar for other emerging economies. We conclude with implications for policy and industry.

New Capitols of Capital

New Capitols of Capital

Un état de coexistence du soja transgénique et conventionnel au Paraná (Brésil)

Au Bresil, la production de soja a progresse avec une croissance annuelle de 7,2 % depuis 1996. La culture des varietes de soja transgeniques tolerantes a l'herbicide glyphosate a concouru a cette importante progression. Apres avoir presente le contexte de production du soja au Bresil, l'article presente les resultats d'une enquete sur l'utilisation du soja transgenique, se rapportant a la campagne 2007/2008 dans le Parana, l'un des principaux Etats bresiliens producteurs de soja. Cette enquete indique que, selon les exploitations agricoles, l'adoption du soja transgenique peut etre nulle, partielle ou totale. L'utilisation du soja transgenique en fonction de l'etat d'infestation des parcelles par les mauvaises herbes est une raison de la production simultanee des deux types de soja dans une meme exploitation. La poursuite de cette coexistence depend notamment de l'evolution des royalties appliquees au soja transgenique et des dispositions prises pour assurer la purete des semences de soja conventionnel.

Early-season warning of soybean rust regional epidemics using El Niño Southern/Oscillation information

Soybean rust (SBR) is a disease of significant impact to Brazilian soybean production. Twenty-four locations in a major growing region in southern Brazil, where long-term (30 years) weather information was available, were selected to estimate the risk of SBR epidemics and identify potential predictors derived from El Niño 3.4 region. A rainfall-based model was used to predict SBR severity in an "epidemic development window" (the months of February and March for the studied region) in the time series. Twenty-eight daily simulations for each year-location (n = 720) were performed considering each day after 31 January as a hypothetical detection date (HDD) to estimate a severity index (SBRindex). The mean SBRindex in a single year was defined as the 'growing season severity index' (GSSI) for that year. A probabilistic risk assessment related GSSI and sea surface temperatures (SST) at the El Niño 3.4. region (here categorized as warm, cold or neutral phase) in October-November-December (OND) of the same growing season. Overall, the median GSSI across location-years was 34.5%. The risk of GSSI exceeding 60% was generally low and ranged from 0 to 20 percentage points, with the higher values found in the northern regions of the state when compared to the central-western. During a warm OND-SST phase, the probability of GSSI exceeding its overall mean (locations pooled) increased significantly by around 25 percentage points compared to neutral and cold SST phases, especially over the central western region. This study demonstrates the potential to use El Niño/Southern Oscillation information to anticipate the risk of SBR epidemics up to 1 month in advance at a regional scale.