Speaker
Description
Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] and its derived products are presently the most traded plant-based protein source on a global scale (USDA 2021). Soybean has remained a minor crop in Europe since its first introduction, although it is a popular feed supplement for livestock. Given its high demand in Europe, current efforts are aimed at expanding production to non-traditional areas made viable by rising temperatures. However, grain yield and stability have been low in many areas, necessitating the identification of critical factors contributing to this observation. Multi-environmental trials are needed to identify stable and adaptable cultivars for optimizing agronomic productivity.
The objectives of the study were: (i) to assess the genotype by environment (GEI) influence on soybean crude protein, grain, and protein yields to explore the influencing factors contributing to the variability in Northern Germany and ii) to identify superior genotypes as well as ideal environments for growing and breeding in Northern Germany.
Field experiments were conducted over three consecutive seasons in three distinct sites (Dahlem, Dedelow and Müncheberg) from 2019-2021. The study employed nine commercially available soybean cultivars of different maturity groups. All experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design at sites with no soybean cultivation history.
Grain yield varied significantly (P < 0.01) among the years and sites. Mean soybean grain yield across years was 2060 kg ha-1 and ranged from 1527 kg ha-1 at Müncheberg to 2503 kg ha-1 at Dedelow. A large portion of the total variance in all studied parameters was explained by environment, followed by GEI, while a small portion was attributed to genotypes. Environments contributed 82.8%, 67.6% and 80% of total variation in grain yield, crude protein, and protein yield in soybeans, respectively. The GEI accounted for 7.7%, 14.6% and 11.1% variations in grain yield, crude protein, and protein yield in soybeans, respectively. This reflects not only the influence of the environment on soybean production but also the differential performance of soybean genotypes under diverse agro-environmental conditions in Northeast Germany. Among the tested genotypes, only Merlin consistently showed high stability and productivity, re-echoing the need for investment in breeding along with improvement in agronomic management practices to mitigate the impacts of critical factors affecting soybean productivity in Central Europe.
| Keywords | Genotype; Environment; Interaction; Soybean; yield variability |
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