Bioscience Methods 2024, Vol.15, No.6, 337-347 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/bm 341 4.3 Tillage vs no-till farming for soybean crops The choice between tillage and no-till farming has significant implications for soybean yield and soil health. No-till systems, especially when combined with cover crops, can reduce soil erosion, improve soil structure, and enhance water retention (Figure 3) (Islam et al., 2015; Silva et al., 2022). However, the success of no-till systems depends on effective cover crop management. For example, no-till systems with herbicide-based cover crop termination produced the highest soybean yields, while herbicide-free systems had lower yields due to challenges in cover crop termination timing (Halwani et al., 2019). Long-term studies have shown that no-till systems with appropriate cover crop rotations can sustain high soybean yields and improve soil quality. Figure 3 Long-term no-till maize-soybean (soya) strip row farming practice located in Dunnville, Ontario, Canada (Adopted from Islam et al., 2015) Image caption: Left, alternate maize and soybean strips. Right, experimental site in June 2013 demonstrates that crops are grown in twin rows and retain crop residues on the soil surface. The maize and soybean strips shown here were planted with alternate crop in 2012. In 2013, planting was done exactly on the previous cropping rows (Adopted from Islam et al., 2015) 4.4 Cover cropping and its role in enhancing soybean growth Cover cropping plays a vital role in enhancing soybean growth by improving soil health and suppressing weeds. Cover crops like cereal rye and sunn hemp have been shown to increase soybean yield and provide greater water stability to the plants (Silva and Vereecke, 2019; Silva et al., 2022). The biomass produced by cover crops acts as mulch, reducing weed pressure and conserving soil moisture (Vincent-Caboud et al., 2019a). However, the effectiveness of cover crops can vary based on species, environmental conditions, and management practices. For instance, cover crop-based rotational tillage systems have been effective in organic farming, although challenges remain in maximizing soybean yields due to delayed planting and early growth. Future research should focus on optimizing cover crop species and management practices to enhance their benefits for soybean cultivation (Vincent-Caboud et al., 2019b; Han et al., 2022). Advanced crop management and field practices, including optimized planting time and density, integrated pest management, no-till farming, and cover cropping, are essential for high-yield soybean cultivation. These practices not only improve soybean yield but also contribute to sustainable farming by enhancing soil health and reducing chemical inputs. Continued research and refinement of these practices will be crucial for meeting the growing demand for soybeans while maintaining environmental sustainability. 5 Genetic Improvement for High-Yield Soybean Cultivation 5.1 Genetic selection for yield and disease resistance Genetic selection has been pivotal in enhancing soybean yield and disease resistance. Studies have shown that significant marker-trait associations for yield and other agronomic traits can be identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection (GS). For instance, a study involving 250 soybean accessions identified SNP markers significantly associated with yield, maturity, plant height, and seed weight, which can be utilized in marker-assisted selection (MAS) and GS to improve these traits (Ravelombola et al., 2021).
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