Formation of soybean yield depending on varietal characteristics and agrotechnological practices based on predictive modelling

Igor Labunskyi, Mykola Grabovskyi
Download article Read article

Abstract

The article presented the results of a two-year field experiment investigating the influence of varietal characteristics, agrotechnological practices, and weather conditions on soybean yield using predictive modelling. The relevance of the study stems from the need to improve the stability of soya bean yields in the context of climate change and the importance of using biological plant protection products (biofungicides). The aim was to establish the effectiveness of various pre-sowing seed treatment schemes and foliar application of fungicides and micronutrients, as well as to develop mathematical models for predicting soyabean yield depending on weather conditions. Field studies were conducted in 2024-2025 at the Training and Production Centre of Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University using soybean varieties ‘RGT Salsa’ and ‘RGT Saidina’. The experiment included 50 variants. It was established that the highest average yield (2.71 t/ha) was obtained for the variety ‘RGT Saidina’ under the combined use of the fungicides Maxim XL, Apron XL, the inoculant BioMAG Soya, and double application of the fungicide Kolosal Pro with micronutrient fertilisers Intermag Molybdenum and Quantum Bor Active at the budding stage (BBCH 51-59) and the flowering stage (BBCH 60-69). Under this scheme, variants with the biofungicide Fitosporin-M Soya provided a yield of 2.65 t/ha, confirming the high effectiveness of biological protection. Mathematical modelling revealed a high level of agreement between actual and calculated data (error up to 0.07 t/ha). Cluster analysis of the 50 studied variants based on soybean grain yield identified three main groups according to productivity level. The first cluster included variants with yields above 2.5 t/ha, most of which combined the use of the inoculant BioMAG Soya with the fungicides Maxim XL (1.0 L/t) + Apron XL (0.5 L/t), as well as the fungicide Kolosal Pro and micronutrient fertilisers Intermag Molybdenum (1.0 L/ha) + Quantum Bor Active. The practical value of the results lies in identifying optimal combinations of biological and chemical fungicides, inoculants, and micronutrient fertilisers to increase soybean productivity, as well as in the possibility of forecasting yield based on climatic indicators

Keywords

inoculation; fungicides; variety; micronutrient fertilisers; climatic conditions; clustering

  1. Araji, H.A., Wayayok, A., Bavani, A.M., Amiri, E., Abdullah, A.F., Daneshian, J., & Teh, C. B.S. (2018). Impacts of climate change on soybean production under different treatments of field experiments considering the uncertainty of general circulation models. Agricultural Water Management, 205, 63-71. doi: 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.04.023.
  2. Araújo, A.S.F.D., & Araújo, R.S. (2006). Survival and nodulation of Rhizobium tropici in bean seeds treated with fungicides. Ciência Rural, 36(3), 973-976. doi: 10.1590/S0103-84782006000300039.
  3. Bagale, S. (2021). Nutrient management for soybean crops. International Journal of Agronomy, 2(10), article number 3304634. doi: 10.1155/2021/3304634.
  4. Baida, M.P. (2025). Yield and quality of soybean varieties depending on cultivation technology elements. Latest Agricultural Technologies, 13(2). doi: 10.47414/na.13.2.2025.336247.
  5. Bandara, A.Y., Weerasooriya, D.K., Bradley, C.A., Allen, T.W., & Esker, P.D. (2020). Dissecting the economic impact of soybean diseases in the United States over two decades. PLoS ONE, 15(4), article number e0231141. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231141.
  6. Buslaeva, N.G., Golodna, A.V., & Hritsyuk, Ya.V. (2024). Forecasting profitability levels for different soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivation technologies. Agroecological Journal, 3, 164-172. doi: 10.33730/2077-4893.3.2024.311192.
  7. Chen, X., Wang, L., Niu, Z., Zhang, M., Li, C.A., & Li, J. (2020). The effects of projected climate change and extreme climate on maize and rice in the Yangtze River Basin, China. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 282, article number 107867. doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2019.107867.
  8. Convention on Biological Diversity. (1992, June). Retrieved from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/995_030#Text.
  9. Crop-monitoring. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://crop-monitoring.eos.com.
  10. Didorenko, S., Kabylbekova, G., Kassenov, R., Dalibaeva, A., Andrambayeva, N., & Derbush, S. (2023). Pre-sowing seed treatment of soybean seeds as approach to increase crop yield. Fundamental and Experimental Biology, 11128(3), 49-56. doi: 10.31489/2023bmg3/49-56.
  11. Ezeorba, T.P.C., Chukwudozie, K.I., Okoye, C.O., Okeke, E.S., Ezugwu, A.L., & Anaduaka, E.G. (2023). Biofungicides: Classification, applications and limitations. In Biofungicides: Eco-safety and future trends (pp. 12-39). Boca Raton: CRC Press.
  12. FAO. (2021). The impact of disasters and crises on agriculture and food security. Retrieved from https://www.fao.org.
  13. Fedoruk, I., Bakhmat, O., Khmelianchyshyn, Y., & Gorodyska, O. (2021). Agroecological influence of micronutrient fetilizers and seed inoculation on a soybean crop. EUREKA: Life Sciences, 2, 16-24. doi: 10.21303/2504-5695.2021.001747.
  14. Fuentes-Ramirez, L.E., & Caballero-Mellado, J. (2006). Bacterial biofertilizers. In Z.A. Siddiqui (Ed.), Biocontrol and biofertilization (pp. 143-172). Dordrecht: Springer.
  15. Getachew, Z., & Abeble, L. (2021). Effect of seed treatment using Mancozeb and Ridomil fungicides on Rhizobium strain performance, nodulation and yield of soybean (Glycine max L.). Journal of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4(2), 86-97. doi: 10.3126/janr.v4i2.33674.
  16. Golodna, A.V., Hrytsiuk, Ya.V., Buslaieva, N.G., & Stoliar, O.O. (2024). The impact of fertilization, seed treatment, and meteorological conditions on soybean yield in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe. Agriculture and Plant Growing: Theory and Practice, 2, 58-66. doi: 10.54651/agri.2024.02.07.
  17. Grabovskyi, M., Mostipan, O., Lozinskyi, M., Kozak, L., Fedorenko, E., Ostrenko, M., Gorodetskyi, O., Kachan, L., & Kovalov, D. (2025). Economic and energy efficiency of fungicides and herbicides in soybean cropsScientific Papers. Series “Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development”, 25(1), 445-453.
  18. Hartley, E.J., Gemell, L.G., & Deaker, R. (2012). Some factors that contribute to poor survival of rhizobia on preinoculated legume seed. Crop and Pasture Science, 63(9), 858-865. doi: 10.1071/CP12132.
  19. Hartman, G.L., West, E.D., & Herman, T.K. (2011). Crops that feed the World 2. Soybean – worldwide production, use, and constraints caused by pathogens and pests. Food Security, 3, 5-17. doi: 10.1007/s12571-010-0108-x.
  20. He, Y., & Matthews, M.L. (2023). Seasonal climate conditions impact the effectiveness of improving photosynthesis to increase soybean yield. Field Crops Research, 296, article number 108907. doi: 10.1016/j.fcr.2023.108907.
  21. Hopper, K.R. (2023). Modeling the effects of plant resistance, herbivore virulence, and parasitism, on the population dynamics of aphids and parasitoids in wheat and soybean in different climates. Ecological Modelling, 481, article number 110376. doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2023.110376.
  22. Hussain, S., Siddique, T., Saleem, M., Arshad, M., & Khalid, A. (2009). Impact of pesticides on soil microbial diversity, enzymes, and biochemical reactions. Advances in Agronomy, 102, 159-200. doi: 10.1016/S0065-2113(09)01005-0.
  23. Jaques, L.B., Coradi, P.C., Rodrigues, H.E., Dubal, Í.T., Padia, C.L., Lima, R.E., & de Souza, G.A.C. (2022). Post-harvesting of soybean seeds – engineering, processes technologies, and seed quality: A review. International Agrophysics, 36(2), 59-81. doi: 10.31545/intagr/147422.
  24. Jumrani, K., & Bhatia, V.S. (2018). Impact of combined stress of high temperature and water deficit on growth and seed yield of soybean. Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants, 24(1), 37-50. doi: 10.1007/s12298-017-0480-5.
  25. Kobak, S., Datsko, A., & Chorna, V. (2025). Efficiency of pre-sowing treatment of soybean seeds with bioinoculants at different treatment terms. Feeds and Feed Production, 99, 99-111. doi: 10.31073/kormovyrobnytstvo202599-09.
  26. Korobko, A., Kravets, R., Mazur, O., Mazur, O., & Shevchenko, N. (2024). Nitrogen-fixing capacity of soybean varieties depending on seed inoculation and foliar fertilization with biopreparations. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 25(4), 23-37. doi: 10.12911/22998993/183497.
  27. Kozyrsky, D.V., Sydorak, I.Ya., Hrygoriev, V.M., Korunyak, O.P., & Trach, I.V. (2025). Formation of soybean productivity depending on microfertilizers and fungicide protection. Podilian Bulletin: Agriculture, Technology, Economics, 46, 53-59. doi: 10.37406/2706-9052-2025-1.6.
  28. Mazur, O., Voloshyna, O., Mazur, O., Zayka, K., Dovgopolyi, V., & Yakovets, V. (2025). The effect of seed inoculation and fertilization on the nitrogen fixing capacity of soybean varieties. Ecological Engineering and Environmental Technology, 26(5), 82-95. doi: 10.12912/27197050/202888.
  29. Melnyk, A., Romanko, Y., Dudka, A., Brunov, M., Sorokolit, E., & Ruijie, L. (2022). Symbiotic activity and productivity of soybean plants for treatments with growth regulators with anti-stress actio. In Modern challenges of agrarian transformations in Ukraine: Agriculture, forestry and horticulture (pp. 68-75). Warsaw: RS Global.
  30. Melnyk, A.V., Romanko, Yu.O., Romanko, A.Yu., & Dudka, A.A. (2019). Influence of weather and climate parameters on the grain yield of modern soybean varieties in the conditions of the North-Eastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Taurida Scientific Bulletin, 109(1), 76-83. doi: 10.32851/2226-0099.2019.109-1.12.
  31. Milenko, О., Solomon, Yu., & Veherenko, V. (2022). Impact of agrotechnical factors on soybean yields. Bulletin of Poltava State Agrarian Academy, 2, 119-126. doi: 10.31210/visnyk2022.02.14.
  32. Moreira, A., Bonini Neto, A., Bonini, C.D.S.B., Moraes, L.A., & Heinrichs, R. (2023). Prediction of soybean yield cultivated under subtropical conditions using artificial neural networks. Agronomy Journal, 115(4), 1981-1991. doi: 10.1002/agj2.21360.
  33. Nadeem, M., Li, J., Yahya, M., Sher, A., Ma, C., Wang, X., & Qiu, L. (2019). Research progress and perspective on drought stress in legumes: A review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(10), article number 2541. doi: 10.3390/ijms20102541.
  34. Nimenko, S.S., & Grabovskyі, M.B. (2023). Grain yield of soybean varieties depending on elements of organic farming technology. Irrigated Agriculture, 79, 52-59. doi: 10.32848/0135-2369.2023.79.7.
  35. Nyzhnyk, T., Kots, S., & Pukhtaievych, P. (2024). Rhizobium inoculant and seed-applied fungicide effects improve the drought tolerance of soybean plants as an effective agroecological solution under climate change conditions. Frontiers in Bioscience-Elite, 16(3), article number 23. doi: 10.31083/j.fbe1603023.
  36. Panda, H. (2017). Manufacture of biofertilizer and organic farming. New Delhi: Asia Pacific Business Press Inc.
  37. Petrychenko, V., Korniychuk, O., Lykhochvor, V., Kobak, S., & Pantsyrev, O. (2024). Study of sowing quality of soybean seeds depending on pre-sowing treatment of seed. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 25(7), 332-339. doi: 10.12911/22998993/188932.
  38. Petrychenko, V., Lykhochvor, V.V., & Ivaniuk, S.V. (2016). Soia. Vinnytsia: Dilo.
  39. Prayogo, Y., Bayu, M.S.Y.I., Indiati, S.W., Sumartini-Mejaya, M.J., Harnowo, D., Susanto, G.W.A., & Baliadi, Y. (2023). Innovation of main pest and disease control technology using biopesticides on soybean (Glycine max L.). Applied Ecology & Environmental Research, 21(1), 589-608. doi: 10.15666/aeer/2101_589608.
  40. Prymak, I., Grabovskyi, M., Fedoruk, Yu., Prysiazhniuk, N., Lozinskyi, M., Voitovyk, M., Karaulna, V., Yezerkovska, L., & Pokotylo, I. (2025). Microbiological and enzymatic activity of typical chernozem under different tillage and fertilization systemsScientific Papers Series А. Agronomy, 68(2), 188-197.
  41. Pukhtaievych, P.P., Kukol, K.P., Vorobey, N.A., & Kots, S.Ya. (2023). The effect of bacterization and pre-sowing seed treatment with benorad on the growth of soybean plants and the realization of the symbiotic potential of pesticide resistant rhizobia. Studia Biologica, 17(1), 69-79. doi: 10.30970/sbi.1701.705.
  42. Ramteke, R., Gupta, G.K., & Singh, D.V. (2015). Growth and yield responses of soybean to climate change. Agricultural Research, 4(3), 319-323. doi: 10.1007/s40003-015-0167-5.
  43. Rathjen, J.R., Ryder, M.H., Riley, I.T., Lai, T.V., & Denton, M.D. (2020). Impact of seed-applied pesticides on rhizobial survival and legume nodulation. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 129(2), 389-399. doi: 10.1111/jam.14602.
  44. Setiyono, T.D., Weiss, A., Specht, J., Bastidas, A.M., Cassman, K.G., & Dobermann, A. (2021). Understanding and modeling the effect of temperature and daylength on soybean phenology under high-yield conditions. Field Crops Research, 100(2-3), 257-271. doi: 10.1016/j.fcr.2006.07.011.
  45. Shelke, D.B., Chambhare, M.R., Nikalje, G.C., & Nikam, T.D. (2023). Improvement of soybean crop for yield, stress tolerance, and value‐added products using a transgenic approach. Advances in Agriculture, 2023(1), article number 8166928. doi: 10.1155/2023/8166928.
  46. Singer, W.M., et al. (2023). Soybean genetics, genomics, and breeding for improving nutritional value and reducing antinutritional traits in food and feed. The Plant Genome, 16(4), article number e20415. doi: 10.1002/tpg2.20415.
  47. Sobko, O., Stahl, A., Hahn, V., Zikeli, S., Claupein, W., & Gruber, S. (2020). Environmental effects on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) production in central and South Germany. Agronomy, 10(12), article number 1847. doi: 10.3390/agronomy10121847.
  48. Strom, N., Hu, W., Haarith, D., Chen, S., & Bushley, K. (2020). Interactions between soil properties, fungal communities, the soybean cyst nematode, and crop yield under continuous corn and soybean monoculture. Applied Soil Ecology, 147, article number 103388. doi: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2019.103388.
  49. Tsekhmeistruk, M., Pankova, O., Kolomatska, V., Kobyzieva, L., Artiomov, M., & Sirovitskiy, K. (2021). Influence of weather and climatic conditions on soybean yield. Ukrainian Journal of Ecology, 11(4), 11-17. doi: 10.15421/2021_193.
  50. Vogel, E., Donat, M.G., Alexander, L.V., Meinshausen, M., Ray, D.K., Karoly, D., Meinshausen, N., & Frieler, K. (2019). The effects of climate extremes on global agricultural yields. Environmental Research Letters, 14, article number 054010. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/ab154b.
  51. Volkodav, V.V. (2001). Methods of state variety testing of agricultural crops. Issue 3 (oil, industrial, fiber and fodder crops). Kyiv: Alefa.
  52. Ward, J.H. (1963). Hierarchical grouping to optimize an objective function. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 58(301), 236-244. doi: 10.1080/01621459.1963.10500845.
  53. Yarovyi, Ya.O. (2024). Soybean productivity depending on fertilization and inoculation. Collection of Uman National University, 105(1), 268-278. doi: 10.32848/2415-8240-2024-105-1-268-278.
  54. Zhang, H., Zhou, G., Li Liu, D., Wang, B., Xiao, D., & He, L. (2019). Climate-associated rice yield change in the Northeast China Plain: A simulation analysis based on CMIP5 multi-model ensemble projection. Science of the Total Environment, 666, 126-138. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.415.
  55. Zhang, J.Q., Zhang, L.X., Zhang, M.H., & Watson, C. (2019). Prediction of soybean growth and development using artificial neural network and statistical models. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 35(2), 341-347. doi: 10.1016/S1875-2780(08)60064-4.
Labunskyi, I., & Grabovskyi, M. (2026). Formation of soybean yield depending on varietal characteristics and agrotechnological practices based on predictive modelling. Scientific Horizons, 29(1), 52-65. https://doi.org/10.48077/scihor1.2026.52