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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #426404
Research Project: Integrated Research to Enhance Forage and Food Production from Southern Great Plains Agroecosystems

Location: Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit

Title: Biostimulant potential of vitamins in soybean cultivation

Author
item ALVES, VITORIA C. - State University Of Mato Grosso Do Sul
item LIMA, SEBASTIÃO - Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso Do Sul
item VENDRUSCOLA, EDUARDO - State University Of Mato Grosso Do Sul
item Witt, Travis
item NOGUEIRA, ARTHUR R. - Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso Do Sul
item FERREIRA, LAURA - State University Of Mato Grosso Do Sul
item GOMIDES, JOÃO FLÁVIO F. - State University Of Mato Grosso Do Sul
item LACERDA, EVELYN - Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso Do Sul
item SERON, CASSIO - State University Of Mato Grosso Do Sul
item LIMA, ANA PAULA - Universidade Federal Do Mato Grosso Do Sul

Submitted to: International Journal of Plant Production
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/5/2025
Publication Date: 1/27/2026
Citation: Alves, V.D., Lima, S.F., Vendruscola, E.P., Witt, T.W., Nogueira, A.F., Ferreira, L.M., Gomides, J.B., Lacerda, E.R., Seron, C.C., Lima, A.L. 2026. Biostimulant potential of vitamins in soybean cultivation. International Journal of Plant Production. 20. Article 29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-025-00395-7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42106-025-00395-7

Interpretive Summary: Vitamins B1 and B3 have the potential to promote soybean growth while reducing abiotic stress. This study evaluated the effect of five different vitamin B1 and B3 treatments on the growth and yield of soybean at two locations. The application of 50 mg per L (0.01 oz per gal) increased the number of grains and pods per plant, grains per pod, 1000 grain weight, and grain yield of soybean.

Technical Abstract: Vitamins exhibit biostimulant potential to enhance soybean grain yield by promoting plant growth and/or mitigating abiotic stress. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of foliar application of thiamine and nicotinamide on soybean growth and yield traits under two different cultivation environments. The experiments were conducted at the Mato Grosso do Sul State University (UEMS) in Cassilândia, MS, and at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) in Chapadão do Sul, MS. A randomized block design was used, with five treatments and four replicates. The treatments included a control, individual applications of thiamine and nicotinamide at 100 mg L-1 of water, and combined applications of both vitamins at 50 and 100 mg L-1 concentrations. The vitamins were applied exogenously at the V6 growth stage. Gas exchange parameters, grain yield, and its components were evaluated. Regarding gas exchange, vitamin applications resulted in an average increase of 11.42%. For yield components, based on the average across both cultivation sites, the combined application of thiamine and nicotinamide at 50 mg L-1 led to increases of 17.43%, 14.89%, 7.04%, 11.24%, and 15.13% in the number of grains and pods per plant, grains per pod, 1,000-grain weight, and grain yield, respectively. Vitamin application influenced physiological behavior related to gas exchange activity, yield components, and grain yield in soybean plants across different environments, with the combined application of thiamine and nicotinamide at 50 mg L-1 showing the most promising results.