GMOs Soy Beans: Physical Characteristics, Plant Species

GMO SOY BEANS
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Introduction
Legumes are one of categories of foods that have been said to be highly nutritious. The legumes have their origin in South East Asia, initially growing in the wild and only domesticated in 1100BC. Rich in oil and proteins, soy beans have now become common not just in the regions where they originated, but also in various parts of the world. Soybeans only became popular in America only in the 1940s and were incorporated in mainstream farming. In this paper, the soybean plant has been discussed extensively. Among the areas of focus include its benefit, uses in the cultural set-up and its economic value. Of even greater concern which is also part of the discussion is the issue of genetically modified beans. There has been a raging debate in regard to genetically modified foods with most countries frowning at the thought of accepting them. However, in recent times, GMOs have become very common, and they are becoming a large source of food. In examining whether genetically modified soybeans should be accepted r banned, the pros and cons have been carefully looked at.
Plant Species
The soybean plant belongs to the species of legumes. The plant grows annually and the growth of the plant may vary in terms of height and habit. The pods of soybean are fully covered with hair either brown or grey. This applies also to the leaves and the stems of the plants. The leaves are described as trifoliate as they often grow in 3. Just before the seeds of the plant fully mature, the leaves fall off.
Physical Characteristics
Just as the growth varies, so do the sizes of the mature soybeans. The colors also vary from yellow, brown, black, green and blue. Upon full maturity the seed has hull that water resistant and very hard. This is crucial in the protection of the hypocotyl and cotyledon. If the hull cracks the seed inside does not germinate. Interesting to note is that seeds of soybeans and similar seeds whose protein levels are high can easily desiccate and still revive upon absorption of water. According to studies that have been conducted in the past, soybeans have carbohydrates that are soluble in nature. These carbohydrates play the protection role to ensure that the cell of the seed remains viable.
Cultivation
There are multiple reasons as to why people in various parts of the world cultivate soybean. For a majority of people, it is the fact that Soy is rich in protein and oil. A large portion of the people who cultivate soybeans is so as to extract vegetable oil. The by-product of soybeans after solvent extraction is used as feed for animals. Human beings also consume soybeans as food and they also appear as part of the processed foods in stores.
Although soybean is now a very widespread crop in various parts of the world, the plant first originated in East Asia. It still remains very popular in these regions, especially Korea, Japan and China. When soy was first cultivated in America, it was mainly done for industrial purposes so as to produce oil. It was not until later that it was grown for food
Soybean plant does well in hot climates and is in season during summer. The temperatures required for successful cultivation of the plant is between 20-30°C. If the temperatures drop below 20°C or soar above 40°C, there is a high likelihood of retarded growth for the plants (Zukerman, 2012). The plant does well in a multiple types of soil with optimum growth being achieved in soils that are alluvial in nature and whose organic content is good.
Just like most legumes, soybeans play a crucial role in the soil of fixation of nitrogen. The plant establishes a relation of a symbiotic nature with bacteria found in the soil. This makes the soil very rich, hence the reason as to why farmers growing soybeans are often encouraged to practice crop rotation. After one season of planting soybeans, that particular soil is very rich and another crop should be planted in order to benefit from the minerals in the soil (Zukerman, 2012). It is recommended that for best results, soybean seeds should be mixed with the right strain of bacteria when planting. From the time of planting to the time of harvesting, the crop takes between 80 days to 120 to fully mature. At present, some of the world’s biggest producers include the United States of America are standing at 88%. Other countries include Brazil, India, Paraguay, China, Argentina and Bolivia.
Uses of Soy Beans
The uses of soya beans are multifaceted. On one hand, soya beans are classified as vegetable type or field type (Zukerman, 2012). The vegetable type, also known as the garden type tends to be softer and cooks more easily and faster. This type also tends to have better texture and appears larger in seizer. The protein level in the vegetable soybeans is high and their flavor has a mild taste of nuts. The oil type, also known as the field type, tends to be harder, takes longer to cook with a texture somewhat rough and the protein content is comparatively lower than that of the vegetable type. Soybeans remain top among agricultural exports in America. A big percentage of the soy grown in America is for purposes of oil production (Liu, 2014). After oil extraction, the byproduct is then used as animal feed. Only a small percentage is used as food for human consumption.
Soybeans that have not fully matured are also used in the Japanese culture as a delicacy. They are boiled while still in the pod and served hot with salt. This is a delicate snack that is very popular among the Japanese community in Hawaii.
Oil Extraction
The soybeans that are used for oil extraction and also for production of flour must be of high grade. Just like all crops, soybeans also have categories based on the quality. For purposes of oil production, the highest quality must be selected. The grade of soybeans whose seed coat is dark is not preferred as will leave colored particles in the flower hence are not used for comme...