About this Research Topic

Background

Soybeans hold immense global importance as one of the most significant crops worldwide due to their numerous applications and high demand. They are cultivated in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Argentina, and China, among others. Soybeans can be grown as cash crops or as part of crop rotation systems, aiding in soil fertility improvement.
(1) Food and Feed: Soybeans are a major source of plant-based protein, making them an essential component in the global food supply chain. They undergo processing to produce a wide range of food products, including tofu, soy milk, meat substitutes, and cooking oils. Additionally, soybean meal, a byproduct of oil extraction, serves as animal feed for livestock, poultry, and aquaculture industries.
(2) High Yield and Versatility: Soybeans exhibit relatively high yields per acre compared to many other crops. This characteristic, coupled with their adaptability to various climates and soil types, positions them as an economically valuable and versatile crop for farmers.
(3) Biodiesel Production: Soybean oil can serve as a feedstock for biodiesel production, offering a renewable and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels. The demand for biodiesel has risen in recent years due to concerns about climate change and the need for sustainable energy sources.
(4) Crop Rotation and Soil Health: Soybeans are commonly integrated into crop rotation systems to enhance soil fertility and reduce pest and disease pressure. They have the capacity to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, which enhances soil nitrogen levels and diminishes the requirement for synthetic fertilizers in subsequent crops.
(5) Sustainable Agriculture: Soybean production contributes to sustainable agricultural practices. By reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers through nitrogen fixation, promoting biodiversity with crop rotation, and utilizing soybean byproducts as animal feed and biofuel, soybeans play a crucial role in sustainable farming systems.
Soybeans play a vital role in global food security, economic development, and sustainable agriculture. Their versatility, nutritional value, and wide range of applications establish them as an important crop worldwide. However, climate change exacerbates the adverse effects of abiotic stresses (such as drought, salt, heat, Waterlogging, heavy metal ion, cold, et al.) on soybeans simultaneously or sequentially, leading to yield reduction and compromised quality.

This research topic focuses on the molecular mechanisms of abiotic tolerance in soybeans and their application in breeding. We aim to identify key traits and their underlying molecular bases, encompassing genetic, genomic, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and epigenetic aspects, to facilitate breeding for stress-tolerant soybean varieties.

We welcome submissions of all article types accepted in Frontiers in Plant Science. The following subthemes are of particular interest:
• Genetic bases of abiotic stress tolerance and other related traits in soybeans through quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and genome-wide association (GWAS) analysis.
• Comparative transcriptomic and/or metabolomic studies related to abiotic stress tolerance in soybeans.
• Epigenetic mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in soybeans and their application in breeding.
• Evolutionary genetics to elucidate the evolution of stress tolerance during soybean domestication and its trade-offs with other agronomic traits.
• Molecular marker-assisted breeding for improving abiotic stress tolerance.

Keywords: Soybean breeding, Abiotic stress, QTL mapping, GWAS analysis, Muti-omics analysis, Genetic mechanism

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