The study looked at how soybean plants respond to drought to improve water use efficiency. Researchers found that in dry years, soybeans use water more efficiently by reducing water loss through evaporation without significantly affecting yield. They discovered that improving water use efficiency at the leaf level can lead to better overall water use efficiency in soybean fields. This means that by focusing on how efficiently plants use water at the leaf level, farmers can potentially grow more drought-tolerant soybeans without sacrificing crop yield.