Soybean Yields Have Seen Consistent Gains Since 1920s, Says Researcher

Over the years, improved genetics have improved yield in many crops, including soybeans, according to Brian Diers, Ph.D. In fact, he says soybean yields have consistently increased by approximately 1/3 of a bushel per acre per year.

In a recent “Focus on Soybean” webcast, the University of Illinois professor discusses the advancements in soybean breeding since the 1920s. His primary focus is how soybean yields have increased nationally.

Besides better yields, Diers says new varieties have other advantages, too, including:

• Later maturity. The modern varieties within each of these maturity groups mature about a week later than they did back in the 1950s and ’60s, contributing to increased yield.

• Better protein and oil content. Protein production on a per-seed basis has nearly doubled since the 1920s, and oil production has more than doubled since the 1920s.

• Higher highs and higher lows. New varieties yield better than their predecessors in both high-yield and low-yield environments.

“New varieties have greater yield, later maturity, shorter vegetative period and longer reproductive and seed-fill period, less protein concentration and higher oil concentration, greater disease resistance and greater total biomass production and harvest index,” says Diers. “The concentration of protein in the seed has decreased. For oil, both the concentration and production on a per seed basis has increased.”