Soybean science and production in China: A decade of progress and future prospects

Soybean, a critical crop for China’s food security and edible oil supply, has achieved substantial progress in research and production over the past decade. This review summarizes advances in soybean production and consumption, regional planting patterns, and yield-improving strategies. Chinese researchers have led breakthroughs in soybean genome assembly, pan-genome construction, and multi-omics integration, identifying key genes governing yield, quality, stress tolerance, photoperiod adaptability, and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Innovations in molecular breeding, transgenic technology, and genome editing have accelerated variety improvement. Meanwhile, precision cultivation, dense planting, green management, and low-loss mechanical harvesting have boosted yield and efficiency. Future efforts will focus on mining novel genetic variation, intelligent breeding, and climate-resilient green cultivation to enhance soybean self-sufficiency and sustainable agricultural development in China.