The goal of the proposed project is to determine the influence of management practices on seed protein concentration.

We propose to conduct a 2-year project in which we will collect seed samples from producer fields for protein determination combined with information on seed yield and management practices that producers provide via survey form. The primary goal of the proposed project is to determine the influence of management practices on seed protein concentration. For this, we will run a survey that will be completed by farmers and collect a seed sample associated with each surveyed field. The proposed project aligns with the NSB priority area on “Adjustment of soybean seed composition to enhance marketability.”

By end of the project we expect to have a database including 500+ soybean fields, including information on seed protein concentration, management practices, and weather and soil properties. Results will be published in high-impact agronomic-oriented journals and conveyed to soybean producers, NE extension documents and presentations.

Updated May 19, 2023:

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Irrigated fields can produce high yields without penalties in seed protein concentration. This is an important finding because nearly half of soybean production in NE comes from irrigated land and it seems like irrigation is one of the few practices than can help increase yield and seed protein concentration simultaneously.

This project can potentially help identifying options to increase both yield and seed protein concentration. Such information is crucial in order to stop or, at least, ameliorate the observed decline in seed protein concentration over time which, in turn, can help ensure a high protein soybean meal and better position NE and US soybean in the global market.