Soybean yield partitioning changes revealed by genetic gain and seeding rate interactions

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield has increased during the past century; however, little is understood about the morphological parameters that have contributed most to yield gain. We conducted field studies to determine relationships between genetic gain of soybean yield and seeding rate. The hypothesis was newer cultivars would express higher yield than older cultivars when grown in higher plant populations. A total of 116 soybean cultivars equally representing Maturity Groups (MGs) II and III released over the last 80 yr were evaluated at high and low seeding rates in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana. Seeding rates were 445,000 and 148,000 seeds ha^–1 resulting in 311,000 and 94,000 plants ha^–1 (high and low, respectively). Seed yield was greater for the high seeding rate vs. low seeding rate throughout all cultivars and years of release, but the difference was larger in newer cultivars. The differences observed primarily came from an increased number of pods and seeds plant^–1. However, newer cultivars grown in low seeding rates increased per plant yield linearly by 0.118 (± 0.02)x– 208.0 g plant^–1, where x = year-of-release, which was three times greater than at the high seeding rate. The greater yield trend came from seeds produced on plant branches. Therefore, newer cultivars produce more compensatory yield on plant branches under lower plant populations than older cultivars, so over the last 80 yr there has been a diminishing response to the expected yield penalty from reduced plant density.