Soybean growth and genetics

Soybeans have a long history of many uses, from ballast in ships to forage for animals, from uses in paints, cleaners and other industrial products to ingredients in many food products. In Ohio and across the United States, about half of all soybeans are exported. The export market is looking for specific traits. This unit describes some of the traits in soybeans that are of interest to researchers and lays the groundwork for learning about more advanced soybean breeding for disease resistance and genetic engineering.

Cultivars are numbered in soybeans (and many other row crops). These numbers represent the genetics and growth zones of soybeans. Soybean breeders and seed companies have developed specific cultivars to grow in various regions of the country—the beans we grow in Ohio are different in maturity from the ones planted in North Dakota or North Carolina due to climate differences.