Production and researches on vegetable soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] in Southern China

This paper is to review the history and current condition of vegetable soybean (VSB) production in southern China. Cultivation, processing and breeding research are discussed, and distribution also included. Finally the author gives the prospect of VSB production in the future in the south of China. Vegetable soybeans (VSB) are usually regarded as a delicious, high nutrient food by Chinese people and have already been used for cooking in the southern part of China for a very long time. Some local varieties of VSB have been used for a long time. They are unique resources of soybean germplasm. VSB has been sowed widely in the south of China in recent years. China becomes one of the most important areas of VSB production and consumption nowadays. The total estimated yield of VSB is approximately 1.6 10(6)T, and 1.5 10(6)T consumed in 2003.