Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure
3.33.
Area of soybean origin.
(1027 - 221
BC
).
21
At some point, the use of soybean as an oil source was discovered.
The first mention of soybean oil was in 1895 when Japan started importing soybean oil
cake for use as a fertilizer. Soybean was introduced in Europe as early as 1712, but the
conditions for cultivation were not ideal and it remained a botanical curiosity.
The ancestor of soybean, Glycine soja, is a small, vinelike plant with small seeds
that shatter from the pods easily. The typical oil content is only 9.8 percent compared to
modern varieties containing 21 percent oil. Modern varieties are stiff-stemmed plants
that hold the seeds in the pods for some time after maturity. Although the two
species are genetically similar, the characteristics of Glycine max have been greatly
modified by human selection over the centuries.
3.5.5 History
Commercial uses of soybeans remained confined to a few Asian countries until 1905
when Japan withdrew from Korea at the end of the Russo-Japanese war. During the
war Japan had imported soybean cake for fertilizer, but their withdrawal left a
surplus on the market. In order for the Japanese to maintain their influence over
Manchuria, they started export of soybean oil for use in soap and mixed livestock
feeds. Prior to World War II, soybean was primarily a forage crop in the United
States. Starting in 1930, the United States increased soybean production to replace
the vegetable oils previously imported from Asia. During World War II, soybean pro-
duction increased 246 percent to replace imported fats and oils. This emphasis on
soybean made the United States a world leader in production and research. This leader-
ship is now being challenged by Brazil and Argentina. Brazil has developed varieties
well adapted to its cerrado area and encouraged farmers to plant large areas to this
crop. With mechanization and an efficient market infrastructure, Brazil may soon
surpass the United States as the world's largest soybean producer.
