fvsu-007• Speciality Soybeans

Soybeans, grown over an estimated 70 million acres, produced 2.7 million bushels and accounted for 53% of the total oilseed production in the U.S. during 1997. Soybeans worth $7.3 billion were exported in 1977, and soybeans contributed $58.1 million to Georgia's economy. The soybean seed with 21% oil and 42% protein is a major source of vegetable oil and protein and the U.S. supplies nearly 50% of world soybean demand.

Soy proteins and lipids reduce blood serum cholesterol levels, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and also possess anti-carcinogenic properties that prevent certain types of cancer in human beings. Due to these health benefits, the demand for soybean-based foods such as soymilk, tofu, soybean sprouts and soynuts is increasing. The consumption of tofu, a cottage cheese-like soybean product, is increasing 20% annually in the U.S. Large-seeded soybeans (100-seed wt.> 25g) are consumed as a fresh vegetable or as roasted green beans, similar to peanuts.

Alternative agriculture systems that ensure sustainable yields and provide for a safe, clean and pollution-free environment are gaining acceptance among farmers worldwide. A new technique called EM (effective microorganisms) technology is emerging as a sustainable production system. Effective microorganisms, like rhizobia, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria, phycomycetes, blue green algae, and lactic acid bacteria, when applied to soil, ferment organic matter and release nutrients that can be absorbed directly by plants. EM technology has been shown to improve soil properties, reduce the need for fertilizers, and suppress soil borne diseases.

Challenges

The chemical composition of soybean seed could affect the quality and quantity of soyfood products. With growing consumer awareness of food quality, there is a need to characterize soybean cultivars for their nutritional qualities. Thus, the first challenge is to identify soybeans with health-promoting nutritional composition. The other challenge is to develop an EM-based sustainable production system requiring minimum chemical inputs for producing soybeans with value-added traits which increase profits for farmers.

Current Research

Evaluation of Soybean Genotypes for Tofu Production:Since 1994, scientists at the Fort Valley State University Agricultural Research Station, along with 6 other 1890 Land Grant universities, have been involved in a regional soybean research project entitled Improvement of Soybeans for Food Uses. Twelve soybean genotypes, including some selected by these scientists from China and Thailand, were selected based on seed physical attributes (cream/white colored seeds with clear/buff colored hila, 100-seed weight more than 15 g) used as selection criteria by tofu manufacturers.

Over the 4-year period, Hutcheson and S90-1056 produced seed yields of 55 and 52bu/acre, respectively, and three other genotypes, York, V81-1603 and MD86-5785 produced more than 44.6 bu/acre. The protein content varied between 31.4 and 48.1%. The study showed that BARC-8 and BARC-9 had the highest seed protein. Selection V71-370, with the highest percentage (41.3%) of oleic acid, a monosaturated fatty acid, known to reduce cardiovascular risks in human beings, and a lower content of saturated fatty acid, was found to be relatively superior in oil qualities desirable for human consumption.

Selections V71-370, Enrei, V81-1603, York and MD-5788 gave high tofu yields ranging from 340 to 345 g/380 ml of soymilk). Genotypes with large or medium-sized seeds (100-seed weight 15 g or more) produced more tofu with better texture and whiteness. Also, soybeans with high seed proteins produce high protein tofu which sells at premium prices and produces greater profits for growers.

Vegetable Soybean Genotypes: Fourteen vegetable soybeans are under evaluation for fresh green bean yield and quality. Cultivars Tanbagura, Hutcheson and PI 181565 have given consistently high yields over a three-year period. The fresh green soybean seeds have only 33% of the oil and about 75 to 80% of the protein content of mature soybean seed. The green beans contain 5 times more protein than green peas.

Sustainable Production of Soybeans Using Effective Microorganisms (EM): Soybeans are remarkably efficient at fixing atmospheric nitrogen and could meet nearly 85% of their need for this nutrient. The addition of other beneficial microorganisms can further reduce production costs. A 5-year field experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of EM for sustainable organic soybean production has been underway at FVSU since 1996. In this study, soybean yields ranged from 40 to 45 bushels per acre for late planted irrigated soybeans.

Future Soybean Research

Future research will focus on characterization of soybean genotypes for seed biochemical composition associated with superior tofu. Selection of vegetable soybeans that produce high green bean yields, are non-shattering at maturity, and are superior in nutrient composition will be another priority. Thus, the station=s soybean research program will emphasize identification and development of edible soybeans that possess a unique blend of biochemical characteristics and are grown under chemical-free organic farming systems integrated with EM Technology, crop rotation, and biological pest management practices. The development of value-added soybean cultivars will enable diversification of soybean for food uses and help farmers obtain premium prices at international markets and niche markets within the U.S.