Northward Expansion of Soybean in Canada.

While soybean crops have been grown in Canada for over 100 years, the first soybeans were grown as alternative forage crops.  Soybean production for grain began in earnest during the 1940s as a result of a need for edible oil. Until the 1970s, most of Canada’s soybean production was limited to five counties in southern Ontario. Since then, Canadian soybean production has greatly expanded, from 190 000 hectares in 1973 to over 1 million hectares in 2010. This expansion was the result of the movement of production into new shorter-season areas – mostly in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba.  There are a number of breeding objectives involved in developing soybeans for short-season areas. While early flowering and early maturity are among the most important traits these soybeans need to possess, there are others necessary for a successful short-season cultivar. Most shorter-season areas have cooler maximum or minimum temperatures which can affect soybeans during flowering and seed development. Selection for early maturity and photoperiod insensitivity, cold tolerance, and seed yield will be addressed.