The Plant History of the Marvelous Soybean

Soybean (Glycine max) is believed to have been domesticated from its wild relative Glycine soja, in China between 6,000 and 9,000 years ago, although the specific region is unclear. The problem is, the current geographic range of wild soybeans is throughout East Asia and extending into neighboring regions such as the Russian far east, the Korean peninsula and Japan. Scholars suggest that, as with many other domesticated plants, the process of soybean domestication was a slow one, perhaps taking place over a period of between 1,000-2,000 years. Domesticated and Wild Traits Wild soybeans grow in the form of creepers with many lateral branches, and it has a comparatively longer growing season than the domesticated version, flowering later than cultivated soybean. Wild soybean produces tiny black seeds rather than large yellow ones, and its pods shatter easily, promoting long-distance seed dispersal, which farmers generally disapprove of. Domestic landraces are smaller, bushier plants with upright stems; cultivars such as that for edamame have erect and compact stem architecture, high harvest percentages and high seed yield. Other traits bred in by ancient farmers include pest and disease resistance, increased yield, improved quality, male sterility, and fertility restoration; but wild beans are still more adaptive to a wider range of natural environments and are resistant to drought and salt stress. History of Use and Development To date, the earliest documented evidence for the use of Glycine of any kind comes from charred plant remains of wild soybean recovered from Jiahu in Henan province China, a Neolithic site occupied between 9000 and 7800 calendar years ago (cal bp). DNA-based evidence for soybeans has been recovered from the early Jomon component levels of Sannai Maruyama, Japan (ca. 4800 to 3000 BC). Beans from Torihama in the Fukui prefecture of Japan were AMS dated to 5000 cal bp: those beans are plenty large enough to represent the domestic version. The Middle Jomon [3000-2000 BC) site of Shimoyakebe had soybeans, one of which was AMS dated to between 4890-4960 cal BP. It is considered domestic based on size; soybean impressions on Middle Jomon pots are also significantly larger than wild soybeans. Bottlenecks and the Lack of Genetic Diversity The genome of wild soybeans was reported in 2010 (Kim et al). While most scholars agree that DNA supports a single point of origin, the effect of that domestication has created some unusual characteristics. One readily visible, the keen difference between wild and domestic soybean exists: the domestic version has about half the nucleotide diversity than that which is found in wild soybean--the percentage of loss varies from cultivar to cultivar. A study published in 2015 (Zhao et al.) suggests that genetic diversity was reduced by 37.5% in the early domestication process, and then another 8.3% in later genetic improvements. According to Guo et al., that might well have been related to Glycines ability to self-pollinate. Historical Documentation The earliest historical evidence for soybean use comes from Shang dynasty reports, written sometime between 1700 to 1100 BC. Whole beans were cooked or fermented into a paste and used in various dishes. By the Song Dynasty (960 to 1280 AD), soybeans had an explosion of uses; and in the 16th century AD, the beans spread throughout southeast Asia. The first recorded soybean in Europe was in Carolus Linnaeuss Hortus Cliffortianus, compiled in 1737. Soybeans were first grown for ornamental purposes in England and France; in 1804 Yugoslavia, they were grown as a supplement in animal feed. The first documented use in the US was in 1765, in Georgia. In 1917, it was discovered that heating soybean meal made it suitable as livestock feed, which led to the growth of the soybean processing industry. One of the American proponents was Henry Ford, who was interested in both nutritional and industrial use of soybeans. Soy was used to make plastic parts for Fords Model T automobile. By the 1970s, the US supplied 2/3 of the worlds soybeans, and in 2006, the US, Brazil, and Argentina grew 81% of the world production. Most of the USA and Chinese crops are used domestically, those in South America are exported to China. Modern Uses Soybeans contain 18% oil and 38% protein: they are unique among plants in that they supply protein equal in quality to animal protein. Today, the main use (about 95%) is as edible oils with the rest for industrial products from cosmetics and hygiene products to paint removers and plastics. The high protein makes it useful for livestock and aquaculture feeds. A smaller percentage is used to make soy flour and protein for human consumption, and an even smaller percentage is used as edamame. In Asia, soybeans are used in a variety of edible forms, including tofu, soymilk, tempeh, natto, soy sauce, bean sprouts, edamame, and many others. The creation of cultivars continues, with new versions suitable for growing in different climates (Australia, Africa, Scandinavian countries) and or for developing different traits making soybean suitable for human use as grains or beans, animal consumption as forage or supplements, or industrial uses in the production of soy textiles and papers. Visit the SoyInfoCenter website to learn more about that. Sources Anderson JA. 2012. Evaluation of soybean recombinant inbred lines for yield potential and resistance to Sudden Death Syndrome. Carbondale: Southern Illinois UniversityCrawford GW. 2011. Advances in Understanding Early Agriculture in Japan. Current Anthropology 52(S4):S331-S345.Devine TE, and Card A. 2013. Forage soybeans. In: Rubiales D, editor. Legume Perspectives: Soybean: A Dawn to the Legume World.Dong D, Fu X, Yuan F, Chen P, Zhu S, Li B, Yang Q, Yu X, and Zhu D. 2014. Genetic diversity and population structure of vegetable soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in China as revealed by SSR markers. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 61(1):173-183.Guo J, Wang Y, Song C, Zhou J, Qiu L, Huang H, and Wang Y. 2010. A single origin and moderate bottleneck during domestication of soybean (Glycine max): implications from microsatellites and nucleotide sequences. Annals of Botany 106(3):505-514.Hartman GL, West ED, and Herman TK. 2011. Crops that feed the World 2. Soybean—worldwide pr oduction, use, and constraints caused by pathogens and pests. Food Security 3(1):5-17.Kim MY, Lee S, Van K, Kim T-H, Jeong S-C, Choi I-Y, Kim D-S, Lee Y-S, Park D, Ma J et al. 2010. Whole-genome sequencing and intensive analysis of the undomesticated soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.) genome. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(51):22032-22037.Li Y-h, Zhao S-c, Ma J-x, Li D, Yan L, Li J, Qi X-t, Guo X-s, Zhang L, He W-m et al. 2013. Molecular footprints of domestication and improvement in soybean revealed by whole genome re-sequencing. BMC Genomics 14(1):1-12.Zhao S, Zheng F, He W, Wu H, Pan S, and Lam H-M. 2015. Impacts of nucleotide fixation during soybean domestication and improvement. BMC Plant Biology 15(1):1-12.Zhao Z. 2011. New Archaeobotanic Data for the Study of the Origins of Agriculture in China. Current Anthropology 52(S4):S295-S306.

Segmentation V-8 Fushion - 750 Words

Segmentation For marketing purposes, the product V8 V-fusion ®+ Energy can be divided into many segments based on the possible customers who would benefit. These segments can be defined using geodemographic and psychographic segmentation methods. Each of the three most relevant segments are described in the following text. The first segment involves women between the ages of 25-30. These women are single, very active and looking to settle down. They are very health-conscious and tend to spend a great deal of time working on their image. The women of this segment typically have a household income of $45,000 to $65,000 and cherish the value of a good bargain whenever they see one. They prefer to purchase items that will benefit their†¦show more content†¦They are either recent college graduates or current students who feel compelled to succeed and are drawn toward products that offer health driven benefits. One of the main points of attraction for this particular segment is the variety in flavors. Not only are there two different choices but one of those choices also involves pomegranate fruit that is said to have many healthy perks and is very highly advertised in today’s market. Another ingredient that these women find attractive is green tea, which helps fight cancer and yields a lower risk of heart disease over time. The last, yet just as important, segment includes women and men between the ages of 45-50. These adults are living with a solid income of $70,000 to $80,000 per year and tend to lean toward the trendy items on the market, despite their age group. The people of this segment are very interested in recapturing their youth so they prefer to keep up with the newest fads and look for benefits in their chosen products that allow them to feel young and rejuvenated. Being that they are so very health conscious, the women and men of this segment would likely substitute this drink for their morning coffee in effort to reduce the chance of drinking to o much caffeine. They are driven by the fact that this beverage comes in a small serving size while intriguing their taste buds simultaneously. When purchasing these products, the consumers will likely

Amendment for Protection of the American Flag Free Essays

As Americans, we live in a nation that provides unlimited opportunity and freedom that is unparalleled in the history of the human experience. Through it all, the flag of our country has stood as a symbol of that freedom and opportunity. Men and women have died to protect it and Americans from all walks of life have sacrificed a great deal to freely display it. We will write a custom essay sample on Amendment for Protection of the American Flag or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, all of this is countered with a frightening fact- The Constitution of the United States of America promotes desecration of the flag through the protection of flag burning as an expression of free speech (Goldstein, 1994). Therefore, the Constitution cries out for an amendment to protect the flag at all costs because without protection of the very symbol of freedom, the underlying democracy will in time fall by the wayside as well. This should not be taken as a harbinger of the end of democracy, however. In this speech, the following main points will be discussed: †¢ There are far too many cases of flag desecration, as will be proven by statistics †¢ The problem of flag desecration will not go away by itself, so action is needed †¢ Without action, the freedom that the flag represents will go up in flames like the abused flags themselves II. NEED STEP: Flag Desecration is Far Too Common The disrespect that has been shown the flag of the United States, in the most extreme cases, involves the flag being burned. While this makes an excellent photo opportunity for the media, the other examples of disrespect that the flag has been shown in recent years is far more common and degrading than an outright burning. Specific examples of this disrespect include the perversion of the flag under the excuse that the flag is being used for artistic purposes and therefore is legitimate as artistic expression, such as the use of the flag as a canvas upon which pornographic scenes are painted, use of the flag as offensive products such as the Old Glory Condoms offered online for sale, and the presentation of destruction of the flag in plays and movies, disguised as an essential part of the plot (Chu, et al, 2003). All of this is reinforced by powerful organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union that use their clout in courts of law to defend those who come under legal scrutiny because of their flag abusing activities (Arbuckle, 2003). Because there are so many perversely innovative ways to disgrace the American flag, the problem of desecration will not go away by itself; rather, evidence suggests that it will only get worse. Therefore, ways to protect the flag must exist. III. SATISFACTION STEP: There are Ways to Protect the Flag It would seem that the flag should be protected from those that would casually destroy it for their own benefit. So, how can this be accomplished? First, the implementation of a Constitutional amendment to ban the desecration of the American flag must take place, regardless of the weak excuses that have been offered to legitimize it. The justification for such an amendment lies in an important distinction between freedom of expression and freedom of conduct. The Constitution provides for the right of the individual to express themselves freely, which gives the impression that one is given the freedom to speak freely, peacefully assemble, challenge the government if they perceive that injustice exists, and the other rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights and elsewhere. However, there is a limit on conduct, constitutionally speaking. No one is given the right to act out in any way that they’d like. Therefore just as one would not be permitted to assault an individual with whom they disagreed, no one should be allowed to, in essence, assault the flag if they disagree with the government, or for any other purpose (Foerstel 1997). When and only when the Constitution bans the destruction of the flag will we see a total protection of the freedoms that the flag represents. IV. VISUALIZATION STEP: Without Protection, Democracy Suffers If the flag is not protected, it would seem that it would only be the beginning of a wholesale sacrifice of all of the freedoms that have been provided by our founding fathers, protected with the blood of many of our best and brightest citizens, and laid out in the Constitution. It will only be through an amendment of that very Constitution that the flag is safe. If the flag is not safe, it is entirely possible that from that point the powerful ACLU and other organizations like it will use their power to make it acceptable for other unacceptable actions to be condoned under the guise of expression of freedom, such as illegal drug use, child abuse, and the like. The awful possibilities are truly endless. Simply put if we do not constitutionally protect the flag, a free-for-all will likely result as the other rules of civil conduct, one by one, are subsequently challenged and defeated. In the end result, only those with the money and power will have their agendas-for better or worse- advanced. Anarchy and evil will prevail without solid regulations to prevent such occurrences. V. ACTION STEP: Everyone Needs to Get Involved Sadly, the ultimate sacrifices that Americans have made in the name of freedom, from the hills of Lexington and Concord to the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, are likely to continue as long as the American nation exists. However aside from these valiant efforts, everyone who loves democracy and freedom must get involved in the effort to protect the American flag. There are several ways for the common person to personally solve the problem of flag desecration: First, support for the Constitutional amendment must exist. Citizens should take advantage of their freedom of expression to speak out in support of this effort. The circulation of petitions to gain the support of others will go a long way to appeal to elected officials about the importance of the amendment. Likewise, soliciting these elected officials to speak publically in support of the amendment would be an excellent method. From the sacred point of view, church groups should also gather together regardless of religious affiliation to make a difference (Wall, 1995). Speaking out and organizing will be the best way to facilitate a flag protection amendment. VI. CONCLUSION: Summing it Up In an age where traditions and symbols are being discarded one by one, the flag must be protected at all costs; if not, the bloodshed in the past will all be in vain. Sadly, as has been discussed, the flag is sacrificed for profit, personal interests and entertainment- basically, the slimmest of reasons. Thus, the call goes out to everyone to be vocal, solicit flag protection from their friends and neighbors as well as elected officials, and never give up. The America that our children and grandchildren ultimately inherit is the one that we create today. We owe it not only to ourselves but also to generations yet unknown to us to preserve liberty, and justice for all. The task before us is clear- if we protect the flag, the flag will ultimately protect us! Works Cited Arbuckle, M. R. (2003). Vanishing First Amendment Protection for Symbolic Expression 35 Years after United States V. O’Brien. Communications and the Law, 25(2), 1+. Chu, J. , Couper, D. P. (2003). The Flag and Freedom. Social Education, 67(6), 327+. Foerstel, H. N. (1997). Free Expression and Censorship in America An Encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Goldstein, R. J. (1994, July 18). This Flag Is Not for Burning: Snuffing out Symbolic Speech. The Nation, 259, 84+. Goldstein, R. J. (1995). Saving Old Glory: The History of the American Flag Desecration Controversy. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. Retrieved November 22, 2008 from the World Wide Web: http://www. worldofspeech. com/speech1/monroe. html Wall, J. M. (1995, July 19). Flag-Burning Revisited. The Christian Century, 112, 699. How to cite Amendment for Protection of the American Flag, Papers