The objective of this study was to evaluate soybean growth, conversion of solar energy and seed vigour of plants cultivated with different nitrogen doses. We carried out experiments using the cultivar BMX Potência RR belongs to the maturation group 6.7, presenting an indeterminate growth habit. The experimental design was completely randomised with four replications in a 4 x 8 factorial scheme (four nitrogen doses and eight collection periods). In the Vn stage of soybean development, we applied four different nitrogen fertilisation doses, i.e. 0, 25, 50 and 75 Kg N ha -1 in the form of urea (45% of N). We evaluated leaf area (A f ), leaf dry mass (W f ), stem (W c ), roots (W r ) and pods (W v ), dry matter production rate (C t ), relative growth rate (R w ), net assimilation (E a ), rate, leaf area ratio (S a ), solar energy conversion factor (ξ), leaf area ratio (F a ) and leaf mass (F w ), dry matter partition between plant structures, seedling emergence (E) and the emergence speed index (IVE) of the seedlings originated from the seeds produced. The experiment was conducted throughout the crop cycle. Nitrogen application positively impacted soybean growth; a nitrogen dose of 50 Kg ha -1 resulted in highest values of W t . However, plants subjected to 75 Kg N ha -1 reached higher R w and L values. Nitrogen fertilisation applied in the stage Vn facilitated plant growth, enhanced the conversion of solar energy and resulted in higher seed vigour.
Keywords:Glycine max (L.); relative growth rate; net assimilation rate; emergence; emergence speed index. Abbreviations: A f _Leaf area, C t _Dry matter production rate, E a _Net assimilation rate, E_Emergence, F a _ Leaf area ratio, F w _And leaf mass, IVE_And the emergence speed index, L_Leaf area index, N_Nitrogen, R w _Relative growth rate, S a _Leaf area ratio, W c _Stem, W f _Leaf dry mass, W r _Roots, W v _And pods, ξ_Solar energy conversion factor.