Soybean and Wheat Crops: Growth, Fertilization, and Yield (Agriculture Issues and Policies Series)

The soybean is a species of legume native to East Asia. It is an annual plant that has been used in China for 5,000 years as a food and a component of drugs. Soy contains significant amounts of all the essential amino acids for humans, and so is a good source of protein. Soybeans are the primary ingredient in many processed foods, including dairy product substitutes and are an important global crop, providing oil and protein. On the other hand, wheat is a world-wide cultivated grass from the Middle East. Globally, after maize, wheat is the second most-produced food among the cereal crops. It is used to make flour, and for fermentation to make beer, alcohol or biofuel. This book addresses a wide variety of issues in the production and use of these two important crops. Among those included are pest infestation, quality of food produced for human as well as animal consumption, genetically modified plants and ways to increase productivity.