Yield and Economic Effectiveness of Soybean Grown Under Different Cropping Systems

An increase in the area under soybean and other legume crops in Europe is one of the assumptions of the European Soya Declaration. A study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of cropping system and tillage system on yield, some quality characteristics of soybean seeds and economic evaluation. Therefore, this paper is of interdisciplinary nature. On average over a four-year study period, the soybean seed yield was significantly higher in monoculture compared to the yield obtained in crop rotation. A decreasing trend in yield of monocultured soybean was only observed in the 4th year of the experiment. Seeds grown in monoculture were characterized by a significantly higher percentage protein content and a lower fat content compared to obtained in crop rotation. Plough tillage affected more beneficially soybean yield. Under no-tillage conditions, soybean seeds were shown to have a higher percentage protein content and a lower fat content. The average income per ha of soybean grown under plough tillage system was higher by EUR 64.6 than that under no-tillage. In comparing production profitability depending on the cropping system, it can be noted that it was more beneficial to grow soybean in monoculture. In monoculture, both plough tillage and no-tillage generated a higher income per ha than in the case of soybean grown in crop rotation.