Preface

Soybean is the most important oilseed and livestock feed crop in the world, accounting for 58% of total world oilseed production and 69% of protein meal consumption by livestock. These dual uses are attributed to the crop's high protein content (nearly 40% of seed weight) and oil content (approximately 20%); characteristics that are not rivaled by any other agro‐ nomic crop. Besides its use as a high-protein livestock and poultry feed, and oilseed crop (used in margarines, cooking oils, and baked and fried food products), soybean has various other industrial uses such as biodiesel, fatty acids, plastics, coatings, lubricants, and hy‐ draulic fluids. In Asian countries such as China, Japan and Indonesia, the whole seed is di‐ rectly consumed as human food; or it is incorporated into human food items such as tofu, tempeh, soy milk, soy cheese, or other products. Soybean consumption as human food is in‐ creasing outside of Asia. Recently, health benefits for soybean have been recognized for heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and menopause. The American Heart Association rec‐ ommends daily human consumption of 25 mg of soybean to help prevent heart and circula‐ tory diseases.

In 2010, 258.4 million metric tons of soybean were produced in the world, having a value of \$111 billion. Over 80% of the world's soybeans are produced in three countries: the USA, Brazil, and Argentina. These three countries are also the main exporters of soybean to the world market. Major importing countries are China, Japan, the European Union, and Mexi‐ co. A testimony to the increasing importance of soybean on the world agricultural stage is in the stunning growth of production shown by Argentina and Brazil over the last 25 years. Between 1986 and 2010, the production has risen from 17.3 to 70 million metric tons in Brazil (a four-fold increase) and from 7 to 49.5 million metric tons in Argentina (a seven-fold in‐ crease). Both countries have demonstrated to the world how an organized effort of research, education and extension can create an entire industry around production and use of an agri‐ cultural commodity.

Against the backdrop of soybean's striking ascendancy is the increased research interest in the crop throughout the world. The objective of this book is to provide readers with a view of the high quality of soybean research being conducted in so many different parts of the world. With all the dissension and rancor in the world (wars, terrorism, financial panic, etc.) it is truly heartening to see the efforts being made to create a greater understanding of soy‐ bean in so many diverse parts of the world. Such efforts will go a long way to meeting in‐ creased demand for soybeans; a demand driven by increased world population and rising living standards. Because expansion of agricultural land to meet this demand is limited, the only way to meet increased world demand for soybean is by greater production per area of currently available land. This is why research, such as that contained in this book, is so vital for future soybean production.

It is in this light that I would like to acknowledge all the authors for their outstanding efforts in composing these chapters. The information presents a comprehensive view of research ef‐ forts in genetics, plant physiology, agronomy, agricultural economics, and nitrogen relation‐ ships that will benefit soybean stakeholders and scientists throughout the world. We hope you enjoy the book.

> **James E. Board** Professor of Agronomy School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences Louisiana State University Agricultural Center Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

**Soybean Nitrogen Relationships**

It is in this light that I would like to acknowledge all the authors for their outstanding efforts in composing these chapters. The information presents a comprehensive view of research ef‐ forts in genetics, plant physiology, agronomy, agricultural economics, and nitrogen relation‐ ships that will benefit soybean stakeholders and scientists throughout the world. We hope

**James E. Board**

Professor of Agronomy

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

you enjoy the book.

X Preface
