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Engineer Known as “Father of Tropical Soy” Helped Transform the Cerrado into an Agricultural Power by Developing Over 150 Varieties of the Grain and Contributing to Brazil Becoming the Largest Producer and Exporter Worldwide.
At 83, the agronomist Romeu Afonso de Souza Kiihl attributes the leap of soy in the country to a rare combination of factors: genetics, soil correction, and the courage of the Brazilian farmer.
In an interview with the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo (Estadão), the researcher, known as the “father of tropical soy,” recalls six decades of work in genetic improvement, with over 150 varieties adapted to different regions—especially the Cerrado—and states that research is now advancing with gene editing.
The result of this effort is reflected in the numbers: from a production of 490 thousand tons in the 1960s, Brazil reached 168.3 million tons in the 2024/2025 harvest, establishing itself as the largest producer and exporter of the grain worldwide.
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From Passion for Coffee to Leadership in Soy
Born in Caconde (SP), a city with a coffee tradition, Kiihl wanted to be a food technology researcher and dreamed of working with coffee.
His trajectory changed while still in college at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (USP/Esalq), when the genetics course defined his path.
The young scientist became interested in annual plants and, due to career circumstances, joined the legume section of the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC) to work with a crop then considered insignificant in the country: soy.
At that time, planting was still in its infancy.
São Paulo had about 20 thousand hectares, and national production barely exceeded half a million tons.
The turning point came with the realization that the legume has a decisive agronomic advantage: it fixes nitrogen in the soil through symbiosis with bacteria, eliminating the need for large-scale nitrogen fertilizers.
Training in the USA and the Technical Turn of Latitude
Kiihl’s training in the United States shaped the foundations of his breeding program.
With a master’s and doctorate from Mississippi State University, under the influence of Edgard Emerson Hartwig, he focused on latitude adaptation, adjusting photoperiod and development so that materials selected in Stoneville (33°N) replicated behavior in Campinas (23°S).
The method, patient and repetitive, allowed the construction of lines suitable for Brazilian conditions.
Back in Brazil, Kiihl worked for eight years at IAC, then moved to the Agronomic Institute of Paraná (Iapar) and later joined Embrapa Soy, where he spent 25 years.
There, he participated in one of the largest breeding efforts in the world, with dozens of PhD researchers focused on soy.
The objective was clear: to create varieties for the entire national territory, focusing on Central Brazil.
The Triad That Unlocked the Cerrado
For the researcher, the progress in Central Brazil is explained by a technical and human triad.
First, the genetics that introduced the long juvenile period, adjusting the plant cycle for lower latitudes.
Then, the soil correction in the Cerrado, supported by liming and fertilization.
Finally, the drive of the Brazilian producer, willing to invest in remote areas.
“I admire the Brazilian farmer because the courage these people have is incredible,” he told Estadão.
These efforts opened an agricultural frontier of cities like Sinop, Lucas do Rio Verde, and Primavera do Leste (MT) and Chapadão do Sul (MS), which evolved from isolated outposts to hubs of high productivity, technology, and rising HDI.
With soy came a belt of services and infrastructure that multiplied the effects of production.
Embrapa, Scale, and the South American Differential
Brazil also stood out for something rare on the agricultural map: the ability to harvest soy and corn in the same year over wide areas, which increased system efficiency.
While countries with mature arable land need to choose between crops, here crop rotation and the off-season corn expanded the supply.
Alongside Argentina and Paraguay, the country became a pillar of global supply, with logistics favoring sea transport of soy and a scientific base that accelerated the adaptation of materials to tropical conditions.
Gene Editing and the Oil of the Future
The technological frontier, according to Kiihl, points to gene editing, which allows precise changes in DNA and accelerates gains that would take years in conventional breeding.
“Today, gene editing is a very powerful tool that will allow us to make many modifications, rapidly,” he stated.
Among the applications, he cites the possibility of modifying soy oil to achieve profiles similar to those of canola oil or olive oil, increasing added value and markets.
Regenerative Agriculture and System Integration
When discussing sustainability, the agronomist argues that no-till and permanent soil cover are central practices of regenerative agriculture, a concept that seeks to deliver a better soil to the next generation.
He highlights the integrated crop-livestock-forest system and the restoration of degraded pastures with the use of soy as the economic enabler of recovery.
In his assessment, biological nitrogen fixation gives the culture an environmental advantage by reducing dependence on nitrogen fertilizers derived from petroleum.
New Frontiers and the Strength of Matopiba
The current expansion focuses on the Matopiba region—Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia—and areas of pasture renewal.
By recovering pastures with soy, he argues, the culture finances its own rehabilitation and extends the lifespan of the pasture.
Beyond the Brazilian map, Kiihl considers it unlikely that other regions of the world will replicate the pace without a decisive component: the entrepreneurship of the Brazilian producer, shaped by internal migrations, family farms, and the quest for larger areas from the South towards the Midwest and North.
Education, Research, and the New Generation
The researcher’s recommendation to young people is straightforward: study as much as possible.
He notes a good technical level among producers and professionals in the Midwest, in contrast to the aging profile of the average farmer in the United States.
Following recent scientific literature, he notes the internationalization of research teams and encourages solid training in agronomy, genetics, and management.
Sector Agenda and Memory
Even retired from public service, Kiihl continues with private experiments in search of new varieties.
His journey was compiled in a book published by his family.
In 2025, he is among the confirmed speakers at the Brazilian Soy Congress (CBSoja) and Mercosoja, scheduled from July 21 to 24, at the Expo Dom Pedro Exhibition and Convention Center, in Campinas (SP), with a focus on the evolution of soy in Mercosur and the celebrations of the 100 years since the introduction of soy in Brazil and 50 years of Embrapa Soy.
Interview originally conducted and published by Estadão.
“I admire the Brazilian farmer,” the researcher reaffirms, recalling families who left Rio Grande do Sul for depopulated areas and, with few resources, built production hubs under adverse conditions.
If genetics, corrected soil, and boldness opened the doors of the Cerrado, the question that remains is: what will be the next technological leap capable of redefining Brazilian soy in the coming years?
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