摘要Soybean(Glycine max[L.]Merr.)is an important crop that provides protein and vegetable oil for human consumption.As soybean is a photoperiod-sensitive crop,its cultivation and yield are limited by the photoperiodic conditions in the field.In contrast to other major crops,soybean has a special plant ar-chitecture and a special symbiotic nitrogen fixation system,representing two unique breeding directions.Thus,flowering time,plant architecture,and symbiotic nitrogen fixation are three critical or unique yield-determining factors.This review summarizes the progress made in our understanding of these three critical yield-determining factors in soybean.Meanwhile,we propose potential research directions to increase soybean production,discuss the application of genomics and genomic-assisted breeding,and explore research directions to address future challenges,particularly those posed by global climate changes.