Soybean Yield Formation Physiology – A Foundation for Precision Breeding Based Improvement

The continued improvement of crop yield is a fundamental driver in agriculture and is the goal of both plant breeders and researchers. Plant breeders have been remarkably successful in improving crop yield, as demonstrated by the continued release of varieties with improved yield potential. This has largely been accomplished through performance-based selection, without specific knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underpinning these improvements. Insight into molecular mechanisms has been provided by plant molecular, genetic, and biochemical research through elucidation of the function of genes and pathways that underlie many of the physiological processes that contribute to yield potential. Despite this knowledge, the impact of most genes and pathways on yield components have not been tested in key crops or in a field environment for yield assessment. This gap is difficult to bridge, but field-based physiological knowledge offers a starting point for leveraging molecular targets to successfully apply precision breeding technologies such as genome editing. A better understanding of both the molecular mechanisms underlying crop yield physiology and yield limiting processes under field conditions is essential for elucidating which combinations of favorable alleles are required for yield improvement. Consequently, one goal in plant biology should be to more fully integrate crop physiology, breeding, genetics, and molecular knowledge to identify impactful precision breeding targets for relevant yield traits. The foundation for this is an understanding of yield formation physiology. Here, using soybean as an example, we provide a top-down review of yield physiology, starting with the fact that yield is derived from a population of plants growing together in a community. We review yield and yield-related components to provide a basic overview of yield physiology, synthesizing these concepts to highlight how such knowledge can be leveraged for soybean improvement. Using genome editing as an example, we discuss why multiple disciplines must be brought together to fully realize the promise of precision breeding-based crop improvement.