Policy makers and farmers in north-west Europe are expressing a growing interest in soybean production. However, cool and wet climatic conditions in this region pose challenges for this crop in terms of reaching maturity and producing sufficient yield and create additional disease pressure from the fungal pathogens Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizoctonia solani. To increase the chance for successful introduction of this new crop in Belgium and to determine the main issues for local soybean breeding programmes, 14 early maturing varieties were screened over a 2-year-period for their agronomic performance. Based on novel bioassays, susceptibility to S. sclerotiorum and R. solani anastomosis group (AG) 2-2IIIB was evaluated. The varieties tested were able to reach sufficient maturity (average seed moisture content of 19.0%) by the beginning of October. Significant differences were observed in most agronomic characteristics, with seed yield and protein content ranging from 2002 to 2916 kg dry matter/ha and 35.5–43.3%, respectively. Taller varieties ripened later but reached higher protein levels compared with shorter varieties. Tolerance to lodging was correlated with seed and protein yield but was not correlated with plant height. Large seeds corresponded with a high protein content. Susceptibility to S. sclerotiorum reflected significant differences between varieties. In contrast, levels of susceptibility to R. solani AG 2-2IIIB were similar between most varieties, with only the variety Primus showing significantly less disease. The results of the current study hold promise for a successful introduction of soybean cultivation in north-west Europe and areas for further crop improvement have been identified.

Red clover is a valuable forage crop, but often copes with unsatisfactory seed yield. Management practices to increase seed yield include fertilization, adequate weed and pest control, the synchronization of flowering through pre-cutting in spring, and the application of plant growth regulators to prevent lodging. Seed yield problems may have variable underlying reasons, such as inadequate pollination, fertility or genetic problems, or a combination of such traits. In this review paper, we summarize the results of recent publications that shed new light on the traits explaining seed yield differences between red clover genotypes. The main seed yield components are the number of flower heads per plant and the seed yield per flower head. Seed yield differences between diploid and tetraploid red clover are largely explained by the lower seed number per head. Recent research showed that, although inadequate pollination can lead to poor seed yield in certain areas, pollination cannot explain differences in seed yield between genotypes, cultivars, or ploidy levels. Correspondingly, corolla tube dimensions are not associated with seed yield, in spite of what is often believed by seed producers. On the other hand, fertility problems such as aberrations during male meiosis tend to occur more frequently in tetraploid genotypes and/or genotypes with low seed yield. A recent genetic study revealed 34 candidate genes for seed development, which opens perspectives for marker-assisted breeding. A final and remarkable finding is the occurrence of self-fertility in tetraploid red clover and its association with high seed yield. Breeders should be aware that selection for seed yield in tetraploid red clover may lead to unintentional selection for self-fertility, with possible consequences for inbreeding. The implications of recent findings for seed yield breeding and for the creation of novel tetraploids are discussed. Future research opportunities are considered.