CHANGES IN THE MINERAL COMPOSITION IN SOYBEANS (GLYCINE MAX L.) DEPENDING ON CULTIVATION FACTORS

Legumes, including soybeans, are essential for sustainable agriculture. From the perspective of sustainability, this research has been planned with the main purposes of exploring food sup-ply potential, researching alternative production systems, and determining food product quality. A field trial was carried out with three replications in two years (2017, 2018) to investigate the effect of two sowing dates (July 1st, July 15th) as second cropping of five soybean varieties (Ari-soy, Ataem, Derby, Safir, S-312) grown as a second crop. Changes in the mineral composition and their relationships were investigated. The results revealed that the sowing date had a statistically significant effect on Fe, Ni, Mo and Mn. The second sowing date (July 15th) increased the content of Ca, Fe, Cu Mn, Ni, Mo while decreasing the Zn and B content. A soybean variety as a factor had a statistically significant effect on the elemental composition of all the investigated minerals except Fe. Changes in the soybean seed mineral content as a result of late sowing are highlighted in this paper. The content of Ca increased in the Ataem and Derby varieties. Zn increased in the Ataem variety. Fe increased in the Ataem, Derby, Safir and S-312 varieties. Ni increased in all the varieties. Cu increased in the Arisoy, Ataem, Derby and Safir varieties. Mo and Mn increased in all the varieties. B increased in the Ataem and S-312 varieties. Interaction of sowing time x variety was statistically significant (p<0.01) for all of the detected minerals except Mn. Relationships between the investigated minerals were significant for Fe and Cu, Fe and Mo, Ni and Mo at the significance level of 1%. According to the results, late sowing caused an increase in the Ca, Fe, Cu Mn, Ni, Mo content. Further-more, the Arisoy variety had the lowest and the highest content of boron depending on the sowing time. Farming techniques as well as the crop’s variety, mineral status and health need to be pun in the focus in order to comply with the sustainability principles.