Removal of apical meristem and increase in plant density of soybean plants for the single seed descent method

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of removing the apical meristem of soybean plants grown at different densities on branch formation, seed production at the highest density and reduction of plant height in order to find the best greenhouse cultivation strategies to be used in the genetic improvement through the SSD method. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design, in which densities were randomized in the plots and meristem removal in the subplots, using a randomized block design, with three repetitions, with each plant container being considered as a repetition. The evaluated parameters included height of first pod insertion, number of nodes in the main stem, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant and weight of 100 seeds. Removal of the apical meristem carried out at the 6(th) trifoliate leaf was more efficient, stimulating branching,,reducing plant height and height of the first pod insertion. Removal of apical meristem at the density of ten plants/container provided the production of at least one pod/plant, allowing the use of the SSD method in greenhouse conditions.