THE RESEARCH ON SOYBEANS, SELECTION OF RHIZOBIA AND PRODUCTION OF INOCULANTS IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This paper presents the history of the introduction into Brazil of the soybean crop, the development of theresearch, genetic improvement and of rhizobia technology. The oldest reference dates from 1882, and the first field observationsand trials were carried out in São Paulo around the tutu of the century. However, the crop really became established, initially,in the northwest of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the 1930s..Research on the soya, including genetic improvement, beganin the south of Brazil, and in São Paulo. Introduced American varieties of soybean already had symbiotic capacity. There wasno application of mineral nitrogen in the experimental fields, and the seeds were inoculated with rhizobia. The activities onrhizobia technology were developed mainly in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo. In the first one, since 1950, thework was based mainly on selection of improved strains, production of inoculants and research on soil limiting factors. Thestrains developed and released in Rio Grande do Sul were, up to 1992, the only balis of the inoculants produced in the Country.Important factors for the expansion, productivity and production of the soybean crop were: efficient Rhizobium strains, largescale inoculant production, responsive plant varieties and correction of soil limiting factors.