AVALIAÇÃO DA EFICIÊNCIA E DA VIABILIDADE AGRONÔMICA DE BACILLUS VELEZENSIS, PRIESTIA MEGATERIUM E BACILLUS SUBTILIS NA CULTURA DA SOJA

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) availability is one of the main factors limiting soybean productivity in tropical soils. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria can increase the available fraction of P in the soil and improve crop performance. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency and agronomic viability of Bacillus velezensis, Priestia megaterium, and Bacillus subtilis in soybean during the 2024/25 growing season. The experiment was conducted in Canarana, Mato Grosso, Brazil, using a randomized block design with six treatments and five replications, including different methods and timing of inoculant application. Plant stand, plant height, fresh and dry shoot biomass, leaf and grain nutrient contents, soil chemical attributes, yield, and thousand-grain weight were evaluated. Soil P extracted by Mehlich-1 reached a maximum value of 66.38 mg dm⁻³ in the furrow-applied treatment, differing from the treatment applied at the V3/V4 growth stage. For yield, the highest numerical value was 5,254.22 kg ha⁻¹ (87.55 bags ha⁻¹), corresponding to a 12.16% increase. Overall, the inoculants did not significantly alter yield components under the evaluated conditions, but they demonstrated potential to maintain productivity and influence soil chemical attributes, depending on edaphoclimatic conditions and management practices.