Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #419898
Research Project: Exploiting Genetic Diversity to Improve Environmental Resilience, Seed Composition, Yield, and Profitability of U.S. Soybean

Location: Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research

Title: Assessing phenotypic diversity and sensor-based metrics for drought resilience in soybean

Author
item JONES, SARAH - Iowa State University
item DUTTA, SOMAK - Iowa State University
item AYANLADE, TIMILEHIN - Iowa State University
item GANAPATHYSUBRAMANIAN, BASKAR - Iowa State University
item SARKAR, SOUMIK - Iowa State University
item Fallen, Benjamin
item SINGH, ASHEESH - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/9/2025
Publication Date: 6/18/2025
Citation: Jones, S., Dutta, S., Ayanlade, T., Ganapathysubramanian, B., Sarkar, S., Fallen, B.D., Singh, A. 2025. Assessing phenotypic diversity and sensor-based metrics for drought resilience in soybean. Crop Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70098.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.70098

Interpretive Summary: Drought is a major challenge for soybean farmers, as it can significantly reduce crop yields. To address this problem, research was conducted to develop drought-tolerant soybean varieties that can maintain productivity under water limited conditions. Over the course of three years (2020-2022), a diverse group of 450 soybean lines were evaluated in field trials in Iowa to assess their performance under drought stress. In 2023, a new screening system was implemented using advanced sensors to measure plant health, temperature, and photosynthesis. As a result, several promising soybean lines that wilt slowly under drought conditions were identified, making them valuable candidates for breeding programs in the upper Midwest. The study also showed that sensor data could accurately mimic traditional breeder selections, potentially speeding up the process of identifying drought-tolerant varieties. This research contributes to the development of more resilient soybeans, helping farmers mitigate the impacts of drought stress.

Technical Abstract: Drought stress can be a significant yield-limiting factor in soybean production, necessitating improved drought-tolerant genetics in soybean to protect yield and promote resiliency under stress. A diverse panel of 450 maturity group 0 - III soybean PI accessions and checks were screened in a non-irrigated drought nursery across three years in 2020 - 2022 in Muscatine, Iowa. Select lines were also screened in a near-field abiotic stress tolerance system for more controlled drought testing in 2023 in Ames, Iowa. Visual and sensor-based measurements were collected via Red Green Blue (RGB), hyperspectral, and multispectral sensors. Additional sensors to collect temperature and photosynthetic traits were also utilized in a controlled field environment. A wide range of phenotypic diversity was observed and slow canopy wilting accessions were identified for introduction into upper Midwest breeding programs. Vegetative Indices (VIs) were able to mimic breeder selections, with Red Blue Green Vegetation Index (RGBVI) achieving up to 87.5% similarity in two years. Ratio Analysis of Reflectance Spectra Carotenoids (RARSc) also demonstrated potential in selecting accessions comparable to breeder choices and revealed variation in soybean recovery mechanisms following drought stress.