ABSTRACT
It is well known that soybean is originated in China, and has been cultivated there for over 5,000 years. Soybean is considered one of the five basic grains, along with rice, wheat, barley, and millet, which are essential to the Chinese diet and civilization. During the Qin Dynasty (about 200 A.D.), soybean was introduced to Korea from Northern China, and then to Japan and Southeast Asia. Soybean did not appear in Europe and North America until the 18th and 19th centuries, respectively. It is now cultivated all over the world (1).
