Soybean Solutions: James Orf's soybean varieties keep Minnesota farmers competitive and give consumers healthy alternatives
Office of the Vice President for Research: Minnesota farmers raise nearly 280 million bushels of soybeans a year on about seven million acres of land and valued at over one billion dollars. While this represents more than 10 percent of the total U.S. soybean crop each year, there is room for improvement.
According to agronomy and plant genetics professor James Orf, soybeans grown in Minnesota are one-half to one percent lower in protein than soybeans grown in the southern U.S. or South America. "The main reasons for the lower protein levels in Minnesota soybeans are our cooler climate and the different varieties we grow. Because of the day-length sensitivity of soybeans, different varieties must be grown at different latitudes," says Orf.
This difference is important as consumers look to eat a more healthy diet and still get plenty of protein through products like tofu and soymilk. If Minnesota farmers can't raise soybeans with higher protein, their crop will become less valuable. "There is a great need for protein in the world and the soybean crop supplies the largest amount," says Orf.
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Learn more about this topic:
Panthee DR, Pantalone VR, Sams CE, Saxton AM, West DR, Orf JH, Killam AS. Quantitative trait loci controlling sulfur containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine, in soybean seeds. Theor. Appl. Genet. 2006 Feb;112(3):546-53.
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Stombaugh SK, Orf JH, Jung HG, Chase K, Lark KG, Somers DA. Quantitative trait loci associated with cell wall polysaccharides in soybean seed. Crop Science 2004;44(6):2101-2106.
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Tischner T, Allphin L, Chase K, Orf JH, Lark KG. Genetics of seed abortion and reproductive traits in soybean. Crop Science 2003 Mar-Apr;43(2):464-473.
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