To fertilize or not to fertilize your soybean with N? Is there

a limit for BNF?

Guido Ramirez Caceres

• Rizobacter overview

• N nutrition in Soybean: BNF and mineral N

• Commercial product launch in Hungary in 2019

• Summary

Presentation content

Rizobacter overview

40 years of experience in agricultural microbiology.

Pioneers in the production of liquid inoculants (1989)

Invests 50% of profits in R&D as a business strategy.

Has one of the world's most modern plants for the production of inoculants.

Guaranteed High Quality Standards (ISO, OHSAS).

9 subsidiaries, commercial operations in more than 25 countries.

100% Argentinian

430 employees

USD 111 M revenue in 2016-2017

Rizobacter overview

HQ & Subsidiaries

Dealers

Next

Rizobacter in the World

Microbiological Products

Inoculants

PGPM’s & Bio-Fertilizers

Bio-Control

Non-BiologicalProducts

Adjuvants

Seedcare Products

Insecticides forstored grains

Baits for pestcontrol

Crop Nutrition

Micro-granular Fertilizer

Services

Professional SeedTreatment (NTR)

Product Portfolio

• Rizobacter overview

• N nutrition in Soybean: BNF and mineral N

• Commercial product launch in Hungary in 2019

• Conclusions

Presentation content

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 N P K Ca Mg S

Kg

of

nu

trie

nt

tn-1

of

grai

n

Soybean nutrient demand

Soybean nutrient demand

Salvagiotti et al, 2008

Soil: NO3- and NH4

+

(available+ fertilizer+ OM mineralization)

Atmosphere: N2

(BNF) 25-75% of total N

N

Soybean nutrient demand

Soybean nutrient demand

N fertilizer

• Energetically cheap for plants

• Expensive (economically and environmentally) for humans

Häber-Bosch process

( 300 ATM – 500 °C )

1 Tn of NH3 6 barrels of oil

1 barrel of oil U$D 50

1 Tn of NH3 U$D 300

Soybean nutrient demand

Biological Nitrogen Fixation

• Energetically expensive for plants

• Inexpensive (economically and environmentally) for humans

atmosphere 78 % N2

N N very strong link

N2 2 NH3

N2 + 8H+ + 8e- + 16 Mg ATP 2NH3 + 2H + 16 Mg ADP + 10 Pi

Soybean nutrient demand

Soybean 3000 kg/ha 40 % protein 1200 kg protein/ha.

1200/6.25 192 kg N/ha.

Soil 1,5 – 2 % OM Mineralization rate 2 - 4 % = 40 – 50 kg N/ha.

Straw: 30 - 40 kg N/ha.

Total N Soil: 70 – 90 kg N/ha.

Efficiency factor: 0,75

Total N available: 52,5 – 67,5 = 60 kg N/ha average

Balance: 192 kg N/ha – 60 kg N/ha = - 132.80 kg N/ha without BNF.

In poor Nitrogen systems: legumes give N

In rich Nitrogen systems: legumes uptake N

0 50 100 1500

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

N applied (Kg/ha)

Kg

of

N f

rom

BN

F in

th

e g

rain

(kg

/ha)

Scott and Aldrich, 1970.

Soybean nutrient demand

Soybean nutrient demand

Diaz-Zorita, 2002

*N at sowing

Soybean nutrient demand

• Early N fertilization inhibits nodulation and compromises BNF (Streeter

1985;Gonzalez 2003, Hungria et al 2005).

• N fertilization responses are more likely over 4500 kg ha-1(Salvagiotti et

al 2008).

• Soil N fertilization in late season increased yield on irrigated soybeans

in US (Lamond and Wesley 2001).

• Rizobacter overview

• N nutrition in Soybean: BNF and mineral N

• Commercial product launch in Hungary in 2019

• Summary

Presentation content

• Specially selected strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum

• Liquid inoculant

• More than 2 x 109 CFU/ml

• 2 year shelf-life

• 20 days of pre-treatment (stored at 22°C)

Launch for Hungary in 2019

• Rizobacter overview

• N nutrition in Soybean: BNF and mineral N

• Commercial product launch in Hungary in 2019

• Summary

Presentation content

• BNF is the cheaper and most sustainable way to supply 50-

70% of soybean’s N requirements.

• Early season N applications, generally not recommended.

• Late season N applications, only if exploring high yields

(>4500 kg ha-1).

• Rizobacter product (Rizoliq TOP S) in Hungary for 2019

season.

Summary

THANK YOU

Guido Ramirez Caceres

guidoramirez@live.com.ar

+61 0416 926 336