Yield performance of soybean cultivars with indeterminate growth habits in response to plant spatial arrangement

Modifications in plant spatial arrangements, such as the use of narrow rows, twin rows, and crossed rows, may favor the development and productivity of soybeans due to the morphophysiological changes occurring in the plants. The aim of this research was to assess yield components, mortality rate, harvest index, and the yield, of two soybean cultivars, with indeterminate growth habits, in response to alternative plant spatial arrangements. The experiment was conducted in Londrina, Paraná State, Brazil, in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 growing seasons, with randomized complete block design, in a 4 × 3 × 2 factorial scheme, with three replications. The treatments were composed of four row spacings, at 0.2 m (narrow rows); 0.2/0.8 m (twin rows); 0.5 m (traditional); and 0.5 m (crossed rows); at three seeding rates (150, 300, and 450 thousand viable seeds ha-1) in two cultivars (BMX Potência RR and BRS 359 RR). In both growing seasons, there was a water deficit, and climatic conditions that would restrict soybean growth and development. The narrow rows, twin rows, and crossed rows did not favor yield performance compared to traditional spacing in either cultivar. The tested cultivars showed high phenotypic plasticity, allowing large changes in row spacing and seeding rate without major changes in the yield. The narrow rows, when associated with a high seeding rate, favored plant mortality. Grains per pod and harvest index were not influenced by the plant spatial arrangement.