Updated February 26, 2021:
A growing challenge for US soybean production the decline of seed protein concentration, which threatens to undercut the value of US soybeans in the global market. In the long term, breeding promises protein improvement through genetics, but farmers also need shorter-term solutions. Our previously funded USB research examined the impact of a variety of management practices on soybean seed composition through field trials and meta-analysis. Our previous project pointed to fertilizer management as the farmer-controllable environmental factor that is most likely to improve seed protein. In this new project, we will build on these findings by conducting a field experiment to validate and refine the management recommendation for optimizing seed protein. Additionally, we will perform an economic analysis to determine if fertilization practices that increase seed protein are financially viable for farmers in the current commodity market. With these data and analyses, this project will help inform soybean producers to make the best decisions on their farms.