Location: Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research
Project Number: 6070-21220-070-061-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jan 1, 2024
End Date: Dec 31, 2024
Objective:
Climate change has threatened soybean production and affected soybean growers’ profitability in the U.S. Increasing genetic yield and improving climate resilience using diverse soybean germplasm are important goals in soybean breeding and critical for soybean production in the U.S. The goal of this proposal is to identify elite soybean breeding lines with high-yield, climate-resilience and diverse pedigrees and novel breeding technologies and tools to support breeding efforts. Based on previous discoveries and research foundation, in this proposal, seven scientists from six soybean-growing states will work collaboratively to develop soybean varieties and germplasm in maturity groups (MG) 0 to VIII.
Objectives to which ARS investigator will contribute:
1) Evaluate and release high yielding soybean varieties with regional adaptation and climate resilience in MG V to VIII.
2) Develop and evaluate soybean germplasm with diverse genetic background for climate resilience.
Approach:
Objective 1:
Advanced breeding lines will be evaluated for yield performance, drought tolerance and seed composition in replicated drought tests at the Sandhills and Caswell Research Stations in NC in 2024. The Sandhills Research Station has deep, sandy soils which provides a unique opportunity to investigate plants under drought stress. Field trials will be evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications. High yielding checks will be included in all trials for yield comparison. Known fast wilting and slow wilting lines will be included as checks for drought evaluation. All lines will be evaluated for visual wilting scores and yield to determine the level of drought tolerance. Wilting scores will be recorded on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being no damage and 5 being severe wilting and plant damage. To identify lines with >48% meal protein seed composition will be measured using a Perten DA 7250 NIR.
Objective 2:
Agronomic performance will be evaluated on more than 25 new lines derived from 3 wild soybean accessions and retesting of more than 20 breeding lines derived from wild soybean which have exhibited drought tolerance and improved seed composition in previous years. Lines will be evaluated in a similar approach to objective 1. In addition, new breeding lines will be developed using conventional breeding methods to combine drought tolerance with high protein meal. Hybrid seed will be developed in the summer of 2024 from more than 4 unique drought tolerance x high protein meal crosses.
