Erratic weather patterns in the Arkansas Delta have been impacting soybean crops, the state’s largest crop with over 3 million acres planted. Floods and droughts have been causing significant yield losses and crop damage, leading researchers to look for more weather-resistant soybean breeds. Flood-tolerant soybean varieties are also of interest to farmers who use zero-grade fields for rice production.
Studies have shown that flooding during the early reproductive stage of soybeans can lead to significant yield losses, and weather patterns are becoming more unpredictable with shifting rain patterns and earlier planting dates. Researchers have been focusing on improving drought tolerance in soybeans and have also been studying the impact of flooding on soybean seed composition.
A recent study conducted by the Division of Agriculture’s Rice Research and Extension Center found that flooding during the early reproductive stage did not significantly alter the soybean seed composition in the varieties tested. However, yield losses were observed in all genotypes tested, with tolerant genotypes experiencing the lowest losses.
The study’s findings will help researchers identify and incorporate flood-tolerant characteristics into future soybean genetics to mitigate flooding-induced yield losses. Researchers are also looking at potential genes that regulate the response to stress under flooded conditions during both the vegetative and reproductive stages. This research aims to develop soybean varieties with season-long flood tolerance and improve crop resilience in diverse environmental conditions.
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