INFLUENCE OF DRAINAGE METHODS ON SOYBEAN DEVELOPMENT IN LOWLANDS

ABSTRACT The need for crop rotation and profitability in lowland areas are the two main reasons for the introduction of soybean cultivation in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. These areas have poor natural drainage, which impedes proper soybean growth. In this sense, this study aimed to assess the efficiency of using broad base ridges in comparison to the surface drainage for soybean cultivation in lowlands. The study was conducted during the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 growing seasons in São João do Polêsine, RS, Brazil. The assessed drainage methods were the use of broad base ridges with different width dimensions (22.5, 15.0, and 7.5 m) and surface drainage. The results showed that the shoot dry matter and leaf area index have similar behavior. The broad base ridge was better than the surface drainage method for these variables. The 7.5-m broad base ridge stood out among the treatments when compared to the others, as it had the best results for the leaf area index (8.66), plant height (102.5 cm), and shoot dry matter (33.06 g).