Location: Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research
Project Number: 6070-21220-070-069-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2024
End Date: Sep 30, 2025
Objective:
1. Develop new breeding lines with increased test weight and high yield.
2. Implement coordinated multistate trials to determine the impact of genetics and geography on test weight using an array of extreme soybean types and extreme environments.
3. Determine the relation of test weight to seed size, seed quality, protein and oil content, sucrose concentration, amino acid content and yield.
Approach:
Advance breeding materials in the breeding pipeline. Screen 70 advanced breeding lines in MG VI.VII and VIII from USDA regional yield trials in multiple locations for test weight and seed composition to select lines with high yield and test weight and optimal seed composition. Form and advance the populations to incorporate the high-test weight trait into the breeding pipeline as new sources of higher test weight are identified.
Test weight will be evaluated under two planting dates at the same location with four weeks apart in the field yield trial to examine the impact of climate on test weight. Lines evaluated will include soybean types which exhibit high protein, HOLL lines and diverse breeding materials along with commercial checks.
In FY25, the Cooperator will coordinate the advanced trials with multiple breeding programs to determine the impact of genetics and geography on test weight and to analyze test weight data collected across environments and maturity groups to determine the relation of test weight to seed size, seed quality, protein and oil content, sucrose concentration, amino acid content and yield. The results will be summarized and submitted for publication. Diverse lines with variations in seed composition, seed size, maturity and yield will be evaluated and genotyped with SoySNP6k Infinium chips. The data will be used to determine the relation of test weight to seed size, seed quality, protein and oil content, sucrose concentration, amino acid content, yield and other agronomic traits across years and locations.
