Trial Report Summary

Elroy Cober, Judith Fregeau-Reid, Ottawa RDC, AAFC
Anfu Hou, Morden RDC, AAFC
Philippe Seguin, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, McGill Uni.
Jeff Kostuik, PCDF Roblin, Manitoba Agriculture
Brian Beres, Lethbridge RDC, AAFC
Yvonne Lawley, Carman, Kelburn, University of Manitoba
Scott Chalmers, WADO Melita, Manitoba Agriculture
Josh Price, Brandon RDC, AAFC
Lorna Woodrow, Harrow RDC, AAFC

While Manitoba now grows primarily industrial soybean for crushing and meal, in the future farmers may want to take advantage of the lucrative food-type export market valued at nearly one billion dollars annually. Canadian food-type soybean for export are usually from non-GM varieties. Seeds that are bright yellow in colour, large and round are preferred. When seeds are dark in colour or stained they are not purchased at a premium price. Seed protein concentration should be at least 42 % while there are not criteria yet for oil concentration and the oil quality profile. Minerals such as iron and cadmium may also influence buyer preference. Seed components that can be considered beneficial for human health, such as isoflavones, lutein, and tocopherols, may receive a premium in the near future.

The objective of the project was to characterize the quality of food-type soybean grown in Manitoba to determine the potential to develop a food-type soybean export market in Manitoba. Seed quality characteristics were compared to the same varieties grown in Ottawa, an active food-type soybean producer. These results may show that there are specific qualities of Manitoba-grown soybean that will promote the Manitoba food-type soybean export market. They may also help plant breeders to improve characteristics that may be lacking from Manitoba varieties.

• Seed yields are sufficiently high in Manitoba to support a thriving food-type soybean industry.
• Producers should be encouraged to grow varieties recommended for their Crop Heat Unit region. Pre-harvest desiccation alters the protein and oil concentration in the seed and should be discouraged.
• Seed protein concentration is sufficiently high at some locations in Manitoba (42 % target) but overall is too low for export. There are differences among varieties for protein concentration and plant breeding effort should concentrate on developing high protein lines. Additional research should resolve the climatic factors resulting in low protein concentration.
• Long days in spring and cool nights during seed development result in a longer time to maturity. Photoperiod sensitivity should be an area of future plant breeding emphasis in order to increase the time for seed development.
• Cool night temperatures (<15oC) during seed development increase the seed coat discoloration resulting in a darker appearance. Soybean for food-type market should be grey pubescence in colour, which has less of a tendency to darken with cool night temperatures.
• Manitoba seed was smaller in size. Future plant breeding and agronomy research may need to focus on methods to improve seed size.
• Natto soybean, which requires a smaller seed size may be another potential target market for Manitoba soybean as the export target demands higher sugar concentration, higher linolenic acid concentration and smaller, rounder seed. Natto seed production may be a very good fit for Manitoba food-type soybean. A new research project should investigate the potential for establishing a small and medium-small seeded market for export.
• Seeds from Manitoba are rounder in shape, which is an export advantage.
• The higher concentration of polyunsaturated fats (Omega-3 linolenic acid) may be an export advantage for Manitoba. The high sugar concentrations (>7 %) may be an export advantage for Manitoba food-type.
• Cadmium concentration in the seed greater than 200 ppb will be detrimental to soybean export. Cadmium is a problem in the Morden and Carmen areas. Varieties can be selected that accumulate lower concentration of cadmium in the seed. There are two types of cadmium accumulation; high and normal. Two out of the six varieties in this experiment were normal. Unfortunately, in regions of high soil cadmium, even normal accumulating soybean varieties can have seed concentrations exceeding or approaching the 200 ppb limit. These areas may not be suitable for food-type production. All food-type soybeans should be tested for cadmium accumulation prior to being recommended for growing.

Advantages

• Manitoba produced food-type soybeans that is high yielding in most location as eastern Canadian seed.
• The seed is rounder in appearance than eastern Canadian seed.
• The seed is low to medium oil concentration, which can be an advantage for some soy foods, like soymilk.
• The seed is higher in polyunsaturated fats and lower in unsaturated fats than eastern Canadian soybean.
• The seed is higher in sugar concentration than eastern Canadian produced soybean seed.
• The seed is higher in total isoflavone concentration, lutein and Vitamin E.

Disadvantages

• The seed is smaller in size and darker in appearance at most locations than eastern Canadian produced seed.
• The seed grown at many locations in Manitoba is lower in protein than seed produced in eastern Canada. Often it does not meet the 42 % target.
• The seed produced in some areas has excessively high concentration of cadmium which will limit its export.

Entire findings are available by downloading the report PDF.

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