Evaluating Edamame as a New Crop for South Florida: On-Farm Trials to Support Adoption and Sustainability

Commodities

Practices

To meet the rising demand for edamame, particularly expanding demand for fresh and high-quality edamame, it’s essential to improve local production, while reducing dependence on imports and lowering operational costs, such as transportation and input expenses. This is particularly relevant for South Florida, where a diverse and growing ethnic population is driving demand for specialty vegetables. Currently, edamame has become a staple on local restaurant menus, typically served as an appetizer and/or an ingredient in salads, while most edamame consumed is sourced from imported, frozen products. Introducing and promoting high-value specialty crops including edamame in South Florida will better serve the needs of this dynamic market.

The growing demand for fresh edamame also creates a valuable opportunity for local growers. While several states have started cultivating edamame, their seasons are limited to warmer months. South Florida’s subtropical climate, however, allows for potential year-round production (except in the summer, when high temperatures may prevent pollination), enabling South Florida growers to fill a key supply gap [9]. This extended season means that they can meet local demand and even supply fresh edamame to other states. Additionally, growing edamame offers a promising way to revitalize the agricultural workforce by creating new jobs in farming, processing, and distribution. This helps offset job losses from the decline of traditional crops, especially in areas where older markets have become saturated or less competitive. By diversifying crop options, edamame production supports the local economy and provides new opportunities for growth.

Edamame's inherent capacity for nitrogen fixation plays a crucial role in enhancing soil fertility, reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers that can adversely affect ecosystems. Throughout its growth cycle, edamame forms a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into organic nitrogen, enhancing nutrient availability for edamame and subsequent cash crops. When the pods are harvested, edamame leaves behind a substantial amount of root biomass and plant material that can be decomposed, thus increasing organic matter to the soil, compared to many other fresh vegetables, like lettuce and spinach.

Currently, edamame is still a relatively new crop in Florida. While many growers are aware of its high demand, they are hesitant to grow it due to a lack of experience with choosing cultivars, managing field practices, and harvesting. This project will be the first to grow edamame on local farms in South Florida. We will trial selected cultivars based on our previous studies, showcasing growers from edamame planting to harvest, demonstrating its potential in local production and improvements in soil physicochemical properties (e.g., organic matter content, soil aggregate stability, and soil bulk density). To share results and maximize the impact, we will organize workshops, group discussions, and field days at appropriate stages throughout the project. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness of this new crop and provide stakeholders with practical insights—not only in South Florida but across the state—to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of vegetable production.

This project will be conducted at Mix’d Greens Farm in Homestead, Florida, with three specific objectives:

1. Conduct variety trials to identify the most productive edamame genotypes suited to South Florida's climate.
2. Determine the optimal planting time for edamame to maximize the yield and quality in South Florida.
3. Assess the potential of edamame cultivation to enhance soil organic matter and nutrient fertility.

Key hypotheses to be tested include:

1. At least one cultivar can grow well in South Florida and produce high yield and good quality pods.
2. Different edamame cultivars will show varied yield responses to seasonal conditions, with certain cultivars achieving higher yields in either spring or winter due to differences in climate adaptability.
3. Edamame cultivation will enhance soil organic matter and nutrient levels, particularly increasing nitrogen content.

Materials and Methods:

Objective 1: Conduct variety trials to identify the most productive edamame genotypes suited to South Florida's climate.

To determine the most productive edamame cultivars for South Florida, we will conduct variety trials on three selected cultivars: Goo, Chiba Green, and VT-Sweet, chosen for their excellent performance in our preliminary field test at UF's Tropical Research and Educational Center. The trial will take place on a half-acre plot, with an experimental design based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD), including four replications of 12-row plots per cultivar. Each plot will measure 38 feet in length with rows spaced 3 feet apart, and seeds will be planted 2-4 inches apart and at a depth of <1 inch. To evaluate yield, the middle 10 rows of each plot will be harvested by hand, with fresh pod yield calculated as: Fresh Pod Yield (t/ha) = Fresh pod yield (t/ha) = pod weight × area of one hectare/harvested area. Pod quality characteristics will also be assessed by randomly selecting 50 pods from each plot to measure pod length, width, thickness, and the weight of every 10 pods [4].

Objective 2: Determine the optimal planting time for edamame to maximize the yield and quality in South Florida.

To determine how seasonal differences impact yield among edamame cultivars, we will conduct trials with three selected cultivars across three distinct planting windows: early February to early May (spring), late August to late November (fall), and early October to early January (winter). Each planting period is chosen to capture potential variations in environmental conditions that could influence growth, yield, and quality. During each season, we will record pod yield and quality metrics as described in prior protocols. By comparing results across seasons, we aim to identify the optimal planting period and cultivar for maximizing yield and quality under South Florida’s seasonal conditions.

Objective 3: Assess the potential of edamame cultivation to enhance soil organic matter and nutrient fertility.

To determine the impact of edamame cultivation on soil health, soil samples will be collected at before and after the crop cycle and analyzed for changes in organic matter, nutrient content, and other soil properties. This analysis will compare edamame fields to the control tomato field managed under similar practices (e.g., fertilization and irrigation).

Samples will undergo comprehensive analysis of physicochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total carbon (C), organic matter (OM) content, and aggregate stability. Nutrient content will be assessed, covering both macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and micronutrients (iron, manganese, zinc), to evaluate variations in nutrient availability and potential impacts on plant growth.

Data Analysis

One-Way ANOVA will be performed using JMP 10 statistical software with a significance level of p<0.05 to analyze yield, pod quality, and soil data across cultivars, seasons, and treatment types.