Transgenic events carrying the VSP alone and stacked with transgenic alleles designed to pull carbon towards oil will be characterized at the molecular and phenotypic level through fall/winter 2021. Lead events selected with small field trials initiated in summer 2022.
The vetted soybean events carrying transgenes to alter stomata number continue to be bulked in Nebraska. We will begin shipping bulk seed of transgenic events in spring of 2021 to collaborators in IL. Lead events vetted from these will be field tested in both Nebraska and IL in 2022, which IL colleagues have resources for the IL phenotyping and field trials.
The characterizations of the soybean events carrying the two versions of the leghemoglobin transgenic alleles (pPTN1460 and pPTN1579) will continue to be characterized alone and stacked with the goosegrass PPO1 transgenic allele. If the approach to synthesize active leghemoglobin is successful crosses will be initiated to create stacks with the high solids oil trait previously generated in the Fall of 2021, with small field plot testing in summer of 2022.
The genome editing of the targeted seed storage proteins component of the program will characterize the SAM22 and P34 edited alleles and create stacks of these by the Fall of 2021. Seek non-regulated status of the lineages form the USDA with plans for small field trials in the summer of 2020. Soybean events carrying the new editing reagents targeting glycinin and ßconglycinin targets will be genotyped spring summer of 2021 and if successful these edits will be stacked with the SAM22 and P34 alone and together during the spring summer of 2022.
Continued support of this program will enable us to evaluate the RNAi interference approach to combat aphid predation. If the next greenhouse study has similar outcomes of the previous two, displaying a resistant phenotype. Plans will be put in place to bulk the seed in 2021, and identify a location in Nebraska with a reliable aphids infestation history to field test in 2022. Secondly, in collaboration with Ed Cahoon’s group will continue to introduced transgenic alleles into soybean towards the development of a soybean-based feedstock for aquaculture, building off our success over the past year (EPA level >11%).
Results and potential intellectual property rights derived from this research will be communicated to the Nebraska Soybean Board. The data ultimately will be communicated through national and international meetings and published in refereed journals.