1. Characterize the genes/loci involved in the increased oil trait from soybean plant introductions through genetic analysis of segregating populations
-Linked markers or causal genes/alleles for high oil trait for five populations with unique sources of high oil.
-Estimation of the effect of the major gene(s)/allele(s) on oil content for the five populations and association mapping panel.
2. Discover new sources of increased oil/standard protein via biochemistry knowledge applied to the generation of transgenics and analysis of mutagenesis resources
-Estimation of the effect of each mutation to seed oil and protein content in mutant lines.
-Estimate effect of transgenes on seed development processes.
-Characterization of oil and protein content within transgenic lines.
-Estimation of the effect of the thin leaf mutant on oil and protein content.
3. Breed the increased oil trait into MGs II and V and high-oleic and normal-oleic types.
-Crosses resulting in the most effective sources of high oil, >23% oil and > 40.5% protein, in two potentially high yielding genetic backgrounds for both MG II and MG V.
-Crosses resulting in the most effective sources of high oil, >23% oil and > 40.5% protein, in high oleic types for both MG II and MG V.
4. Backcross transgenic and mutant sources of increased oil into MGs II and V and high-oleic and normal-oleic types.
-Segregating families with transgenic or mutational source of high oil (>23%) in both MG II and MG V genetic backgrounds.
5. Assess the stability of the increased oil trait from transgenic sources in controlled environments differing for temperature.
-Characterization of the temperature stability of each of the three transgenes single and in combination.
6. Assess the stability of the increased oil trait from natural, mutant, and transgenic sources and the effect of increased oil on protein and yield in multiple northern and southern field environments.
-Characterization of effect of different sources of the increased oil traits on yield and protein.
-Characterization of stability of different sources of the increased oil trait in multiple environments.
-Quantification of genotype by environment interactions.