| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
a Dep. of Plant Agriculture, Univ. of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada, N1G 2W1
jspecht1{at}unl.edu
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yields in the USA have risen 22.6 kg ha-1 yr-1 from 1924 to 1997, but in the last quarter century (1972–1997) have risen 40% faster, 31.4 kg ha-1 yr-1. This upward trend in on-farm yield is fueled by rapid producer adoption of technologies emerging from agricultural research. Published estimates of the annual gain in yield attributable to genetic improvement averaged about 15 kg ha-1 yr-1 prior to the 1980s, but is now averaging about 30 kg ha-1 yr-1 in both the public and proprietary sectors. Periodic advances in agronomic technology, and a relentless rise in atmospheric CO2 (currently 1.5 µL L-1 yr-1), also contribute to the upward trend in on-farm yield. In Nebraska, irrigated yield averages 800 kg ha-1 more than rainfed yield, and is improving at a 40% faster annual rate (35.1 vs. 24.9 kg ha-1). About 36% of the annual variation in the irrigated-rainfed yield difference is attributable to annual variation in absolute rainfed yield. Inadequate water obviously limits absolute crop yield, but also seems to be an obstacle in terms of the rate of yield improvement. Several physiological traits changed during six decades of cultivar releases in Ontario that led to a genetic gain in yield of about 0.5% yr-1. Changes in some traits were obvious (improved lodging), but more subtle in others (greater N2-fixation, greater stress tolerance). In terms of photosynthate supplied to sinks across a wide range of environments, recent cultivars seem to be superior to obsolete ones. To sustain and enhance soybean yield improvement in the future, technological innovation must be continually injected into the agricultural enterprise.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. L. De Bruin and P. Pedersen Response of Old and New Soybean Cultivars to Heterodera glycines Ichinohe Agron. J., August 11, 2008; 100(5): 1347 - 1353. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. L. De Bruin and P. Pedersen Yield Improvement and Stability for Soybean Cultivars with Resistance to Heterodera Glycines Ichinohe Agron. J., August 11, 2008; 100(5): 1354 - 1359. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. B. Egli Comparison of Corn and Soybean Yields in the United States: Historical Trends and Future Prospects Agron. J., May 7, 2008; 100(Supplement_3): S-79 - S-88. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. E. Beebe, I. M. Rao, C. Cajiao, and M. Grajales Selection for Drought Resistance in Common Bean Also Improves Yield in Phosphorus Limited and Favorable Environments Crop Sci., March 19, 2008; 48(2): 582 - 592. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M. Bastidas, T. D. Setiyono, A. Dobermann, K. G. Cassman, R. W. Elmore, G. L. Graef, and J. E. Specht Soybean Sowing Date: The Vegetative, Reproductive, and Agronomic Impacts Crop Sci., March 19, 2008; 48(2): 727 - 740. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Kumudini, J. Omielan, and D. J. Hume Soybean Genetic Improvement in Yield and the Effect of Late-Season Shading and Nitrogen Source and Supply Agron. J., February 29, 2008; 100(2): 400 - 405. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. M.-F. Johnson, R. R. Allmaras, and D. C. Reicosky Estimating Source Carbon from Crop Residues, Roots and Rhizodeposits Using the National Grain-Yield Database Agron. J., April 11, 2006; 98(3): 622 - 636. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. R. Cober, M. J. Morrison, B. Ma, and G. Butler Genetic Improvement Rates of Short-Season Soybean Increase with Plant Population Crop Sci., May 6, 2005; 45(3): 1029 - 1034. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. C. Simbahan, A. Dobermann, and J. L. Ping Screening Yield Monitor Data Improves Grain Yield Maps Agron. J., July 1, 2004; 96(4): 1091 - 1102. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. D. Smalley, W. R. Fehr, S. R. Cianzio, F. Han, S. A. Sebastian, and L. G. Streit Quantitative Trait Loci for Soybean Seed Yield in Elite and Plant Introduction Germplasm Crop Sci., March 1, 2004; 44(2): 436 - 442. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. J. Boote, J. W. Jones, W. D. Batchelor, E. D. Nafziger, and O. Myers Genetic Coefficients in the CROPGRO-Soybean Model: Links to Field Performance and Genomics Agron. J., January 1, 2003; 95(1): 32 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
X. Zhou, T. E. Carter Jr., Z. Cui, S. Miyazaki, and J. W. Burton Genetic Diversity Patterns in Japanese Soybean Cultivars Based on Coefficient of Parentage Crop Sci., July 1, 2002; 42(4): 1331 - 1342. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Yuan, V. N. Njiti, K. Meksem, M. J. Iqbal, K. Triwitayakorn, My. A. Kassem, G. T. Davis, M. E. Schmidt, and D. A. Lightfoot Quantitative trait loci in Two Soybean Recombinant Inbred Line Populations Segregating for Yield and Disease Resistance Crop Sci., January 1, 2002; 42(1): 271 - 277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. R. Wilcox Sixty Years of Improvement in Publicly Developed Elite Soybean Lines Crop Sci., November 1, 2001; 41(6): 1711 - 1716. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z. Cui, T. E. Carter Jr., J. W. Burton, and R. Wells Phenotypic Diversity of Modern Chinese and North American Soybean Cultivars Crop Sci., November 1, 2001; 41(6): 1954 - 1967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J.E. Specht, K. Chase, M. Macrander, G.L. Graef, J. Chung, J.P. Markwell, M. Germann, J.H. Orf, and K.G. Lark Soybean Response to Water: A QTL Analysis of Drought Tolerance Crop Sci., March 1, 2001; 41(2): 493 - 509. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| The SCI Journals | Agronomy Journal | Vadose Zone Journal | |||
| Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education |
Soil Science Society of America Journal | ||||
| Journal of Plant Registrations | Journal of Environmental Quality |
The Plant Genome | |||
