Soybean, as one of the most important cash crops in the world, is an important factor in determining its yield, quality and adaptability. According to the podding characteristics of soybean during growth and development, it can be divided into three types: infinite podding habit, fixed podding habit and semi-definite podding habit.
First, let's take a closer look at soybean varieties with indeterminate growth habit. This type of soybean maintains vigorous growth at the top of the main stem throughout the growth period and continues to differentiate into new inflorescences, forming a continuous flowering and fruiting band from bottom to top. As a result, the pods are distributed from the bottom to the top of the plant, the flowering period is significantly longer, and the corresponding ripening time is also later. The biggest feature of the infinite pod-setting habit is that it has a long growth period, can make full use of the whole growing season, and has a strong ability to adapt to the environment, especially in areas with high temperature and sufficient sunshine. However, because it continues to grow in the late growth period, it is susceptible to the effects of low temperature and chilling injury, and it is necessary to pay attention to prevent unfavorable climatic conditions such as early frost in autumn when planting.
The next step is the determinate growth habit, also known as the finite pod-setting habit. After flowering at the top of the main stem, the elongation of the stem tip and the differentiation of new inflorescences are stopped, and the growth focus is shifted to grain enrichment, so that the pods are mainly concentrated in the middle and lower parts of the plant. This characteristic determines that the growth period of soybean with fixed podding habit is relatively short, and the maturity is concentrated, which is convenient for mechanized harvesting and improves the production efficiency. However, at the same time, because it is sensitive to light conditions, it is suitable for planting in areas with sufficient light and large temperature difference to ensure that sufficient photosynthetic products are accumulated in a limited time, so as to achieve high and stable yield.
Finally, we focused on soybean varieties with semi-determinate growth habit, which is an intermediate type between infinite and limited pod-setting. Although the top of the main stem of this type of soybean still has a certain degree of extension and branching ability, it ends its growth earlier than the infinite pod-setting type, and its podding part is slightly higher than that of the fixed-limit pod-setting type. Therefore, semi-fixed-limit pod-setting soybean combines some of the advantages of the above two types, which not only has certain environmental adaptability and stable yield performance, but also can complete fruit setting in a relatively moderate growth period, and has a relatively wide range of adaptation.
In conclusion, each soybean variety with podding habits has its own unique planting characteristics and suitable cultivation areas. In actual agricultural production, it is important to choose soybean varieties that are suitable for the local climate, soil characteristics and cropping system. For example, in the southern region where the growth period is warm and humid and the growth period is long, varieties with unlimited pod-setting habits can be preferred. However, in the northern or high-latitude areas with sufficient sunshine and relatively short growth period, it is more suitable for planting varieties with fixed or semi-limited pod setting habits. Through an in-depth understanding of soybean pod-setting habits, it is helpful for farmers to accurately select seeds, optimize management, and ultimately achieve efficient and high-quality soybean production.