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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research » Research » Research Project #439245

Research Project: Optimized Fertilization for Improved Seed Protein Concentration

Location: Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research

Project Number: 6070-21220-069-067-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Oct 1, 2020
End Date: Mar 31, 2022

Objective:
This project will provide growers with more detailed fertilization recommendations to improve seed protein concentration. Building on the knowledge gained in our current USB-funded project, we will investigate more fertilizer application rates/timings in advanced soybean breeding lines. This project will result in improved management recommendations that growers can use to maintain or enhance the marketability of US soybeans.

Approach:
The management factors that our previous work indicated are most likely to benefit seed protein concentration are fertilizer applications. The new project will test a variety of application rates and timings in the 2021 growing season to determine the fertilization strategy that most efficiently improves soybean protein concentration. The study will be carried out in multiple soil types. Soil nutrient content will be tested prior to planting, and these results along with standard soybean fertilization recommendations will be taken into consideration when choosing fertilizer treatments for seed protein concentration tests and for making recommendations to growers. Advanced, high-yielding soybean breeding lines will be used for these studies to provide maximum relevance to farmers. Because soybeans are harvested in fall, the extension of this project through March 2022 will permit time to harvest, process seed, and analyze the data from the 2021 field season.