The effects of herbic ides and plant populations on nodulation and yield in soybean `Santa Rosa' were studied in three Experiments in field conditions and one in greenhouse. Clay and very clay soils were used in the field and very clay and loamy soils in pots. Trifluralin at 0,96 kg/ha and vernolate at 3,60 kg/ha, preplant incorporated; pendimethalin at 1,50 kg/ha, in two experiments, and at 1,25 in a third; alachlor at 2,40 kg; and metribu zin at 0,63 kg in two experiments and at 0,53 kg in a third, preemergence were applied in field conditions. In pots, the same rates were used, except for trifluralin which was applied at 0,86 kg/ha. A check was included in all experiments. All treatments in the field were combined with different plant densities: 200 and 300 thousand in Experiment I, 200, 300 and 400 thousand in Experiment II and 150 and 250 thousand in Experiment III. Three plants per pot were studied in the greenhouse experiment during the first 30 days. No interaction between herbicides and plant populations was observed for any of the studied parameters. The plant density increase caused increase of yield and in the N concentration in grains in two experiments. The different densities caused no change on the number or weight of nodules. Nodulation was affected, in pots, at its beginning, by trifluralin, pendimethalin and vernolate, with reduction of number and weight of nodules. Trifluralin depressed these values also in the field, in one experiment, at flower stage set. Grain yield was enhanced with population increase. Metribuzin reduced yield in one experiment.
Glycine max (L.) Merril; herbicides; nodulation; plant population; grain yield