{"id":9354,"date":"2020-05-20T09:12:58","date_gmt":"2020-05-20T13:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/crop-and-soil-sciences-new\/?post_type=person&p=9354"},"modified":"2025-02-08T16:46:37","modified_gmt":"2025-02-08T21:46:37","slug":"bdfallen","status":"publish","type":"person","link":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/crop-and-soil-sciences\/people\/bdfallen\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Fallen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Education<\/strong><\/h3>\n

PhD., Plant Sciences, Soybean Breeding & Genetics Program.
\nDecember 2012, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
\nDissertation: Selective Genotyping for Marker Assisted Selection Strategies for Soybean Yield Improvement.<\/p>\n

M.S., Plant Sciences.
\nAugust 2009, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN.
\nThesis: Soybean Enhancement for Biodiesel Production.<\/p>\n

B.S., Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Biotechnology and Genetics option.
\nMay 2006, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech),
\nBlacksburg, VA.<\/p>\n

Area of Expertise<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Drought Research:
\n<\/strong>Prior to the 1980s drought tolerance was a low-priority research objective in soybean breeding programs. A major reason was that reliable field screening methods for drought tolerance were difficult to implement and there was no known genetic variability for drought.\u00a0 However, drought was and is still considered to be a major factor causing low yield and lost income for soybean farmers in the US.\u00a0 So, drought research in soybean was begun by the USDA-ARS Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Unit (SNFU) in Raleigh, NC in 1986, led by research geneticist, Dr. Tommy Carter.\u00a0 Every year approximately 5,000 plots are evaluated by researchers at the SNFU for drought tolerance.\u00a0 Our research shows that drought and heat tolerance can raise yields by 5 to 8 bu\/ac under stress. However, breeding for drought and\/or heat tolerance can be difficult and understanding the mechanisms can be challenging.\u00a0 There also is a strong need to develop and refine high through-put characterization of germplasm in plant breeding programs, so that drought and heat tolerant germplasm can be readily adapted in many different crops.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Drought Field 2021 \u2013 Our drought research has led to the development of drought tolerate lines that are slow wilting under drought stress, compared to drought susceptible varieties, which as fast wilting. The slow wilting trait has been shown to improve yields under drought stress and can greatly improve economic profit for farmers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Flood Research:
\n<\/strong>Farmers have experienced very wet weather for at least some part of most growing seasons in the last decade due to hurricanes, floods and other events.\u00a0 Flooding that is associated with heavy rainfall can curtail crop performance, especially in areas where water tables tend to be high and land elevation is low.\u00a0 Flooding reduces the oxygen supply to the roots, builds up toxic respired carbon dioxide in the soil and promotes crippling root diseases. In addition, many soybean growing regions throughout the U.S. can be impacted by chronically wet or waterlogged conditions, even when there is no standing water. Waterlogging (chronically wet soil but no standing water) can cause slow growth, poor leaf color, and spindly plants, reduce yield and decrease the value of the crop.\u00a0 The USDA-ARS Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Unit (SNFU) in Raleigh, NC evaluates 1000s of new varieties and germplasm every year.\u00a0 Interestingly, our new research suggests that drought and flood tolerances may be related.\u00a0 This discovery could improve the development of abiotic stress tolerant soybean varieties, which is essential in pursuing agricultural sustainability.<\/p>\n

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Flood Field 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Genetic Diversity Research:
\n<\/strong>Wild soybean is the ancestor of domesticated soybeans produced today and is mainly distributed in the Southeast and Far East Asia including China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Russia. Wild soybean is an annual, weed-like, climbing pioneer of secondary seccessions that look very different from today\u2019s domesticated soybean.\u00a0 The average seed size for wild soybean is half the average seed size for domesticated soybean.\u00a0 Seed coat color for wild soybean can also be distinct, ranging primarily from black to green, whereas the primary color of domesticated soybean is yellow.\u00a0 Despite what may sound like undesirable attributes, wild soybean has been shown to contain a genetic treasure trove of genes for higher oil and protein contents, drought resistance, high heat tolerance, disease resistance, pest resistance and other important traits.<\/p>\n

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Glycine soja (wild soybean) is the wild ancestor of soybean and is mainly distributed in Southeast and Far East Asia including China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Russia. Despite what may look like undesirable attributes, wild soybean has been shown to contain a genetic treasure trove. We have been able to develop soybean lines with 25% wild soybean that yield as well as current, commercial soybean varieties with improved meal protein, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance and other traits.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Publications<\/strong><\/h3>\n