Desempenho da soja em sistemas integrados de produção agropecuária com inclusão ou não de capim-aruana

Abstract

Population growth in recent decades has driven the search for more efficient and sustainable production systems, such as Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems (ICLS), recognized as alternatives for sustainable intensification in agricultural and livestock production. Despite the widespread use of ICLS, there is limited research on its relationship with agricultural and livestock productivity and profitability. This study aims to evaluate the performance of soybean (Glycine max) under different ICLS arrangements, comparing yield components and productivity with the traditional agricultural system as part of a long-term experiment conducted in Candói- PR, in collaboration with UTFPR, UFPR, UNICENTRO, and Fazenda Capão Redondo. The experiment was conducted at Fazenda Capão Redondo in Guarapuava-PR, Brazil, with a Cfb climate and an Aluminous Bruno Latosol associated with Cambisol. It followed a randomized block design (RBD) with four treatments in 16 plots, comparing agricultural systems (AS) and integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS), with or without the inclusion of Aruana grass. Soybean was sown on September 28, 2023, and harvested on January 23, 2024, with standardized management across all plots. Performance was evaluated based on variables such as final stand, number of pods per plant, number of grains per plant, number of grains per pod, plant height, thousand-grain weight, and total productivity. Statistical analysis included normality tests, Box-Cox transformations, and analysis of variance, with comparisons using the Duncan test (p<0.05) in R Studio. The experiment assessed the effects of different cultivation systems: the traditional agricultural system (AS), integrated crop-livestock systems with two years of Aruana grass inclusion (ICLS AR. 2 YEARS), integrated crop-livestock systems with Aruana grass inclusion (ICLS ARUANA), and integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) on soybean yield components. There was no significant impact of treatments on plant height, number of grains per pod, or thousand-grain weight (TGW), indicating the predominance of genetic factors. However, significant differences were observed in the number of grains per plant, number of pods per plant, and productivity. The ICLS AR. 2 YEARS treatment stood out as the most productive due to its greater efficiency in resource use and sustainable management. In contrast, the ICLS and ICLS ARUANA treatments showed lower performance, possibly due to the shorter implementation period. The results suggest that long-term integrated systems can outperform conventional systems, promoting higher productivity and sustainability.