In 1971, the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) was created as an international research organization responsible for improving the production and nutritional qua lity of vegetable crops in the humid tropics. The Center is located to the north of Tainan City in southern Taiwan (between 23°07'07'' and 23°06'36" north latitude, and between 120°16'45'' and 120°17'28'' east longitude at an elevation of nine meters AMSL). In March 1973, AVRDC selected the soybean as one of the six crops to receive initial emphasis in its research program.