2017
Breeding of Glyphosate-Resistant Soybean Cultivars
Contributor/Checkoff:
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
GeneticsGenomics
Lead Principal Investigator:
Ted Helms, North Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
QSSB
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Institution Funded:
Brief Project Summary:

The grant would enable NDSU to continue the process of developing glyphosate-resistant soybean cultivars. Growers would like the option of saving their own seed of glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties without having to pay a "technology fee". This project will significantly reduce seed costs to soybean growers. A new glyphosate-resistant cultivar could be released to seed producers as soon as 2017. NDSU has a very large breeding program devoted to development of glyphosate-resistant cultivars, and I need several more years of final testing and seed increase before I can release the first variety. Monsanto has stated that starting in 2015 growers will be able to save their own seed for...

Unique Keywords:
#breeding & genetics
Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Monsanto has stated that starting in 2015 growers will be able to save their own seed for planting the following year. However, the private company cultivars are also protected under a Variety Patent. Varieties developed at NDSU are not patented. Farmers will be able to save their own seed of these glyphosate-resistant cultivars, but will not be able to sell this seed to their neighbors. The cost savings will occur the second and subsequent years after the initial purchase of the seed. These improved glyphosate-resistant cultivars will be especially important where the planting of high cost of private company Roundup Ready or Liberty Link variety seed is not justified.

Final Project Results

Update:

View uploaded report Word file

July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017 Annual Report: Breeding of Glyphosate-Resistant Soybean Cultivars

Principal Investigator: Dr. Ted Helms, Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University
Cooperating Scientists: Dr. Berlin Nelson, Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University

The purpose of this research is to provide superior glyphosate-resistant varieties that have been developed by North Dakota State University (NDSU). Growers would like to purchase glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties and be able to save their own seed for planting the next year. These varieties need to high-yielding, lodging-resistant, tolerant to iron-deficiency chlorosis (IDC), and have good disease and pest resistance. Soybean varieties are protected by a patent on the glyphosate-resistant gene (construct) and often protected by a second patent on the variety. Monsanto has provided a website to explain these issues (http://www.soybeans.com/patent.aspx).

Development of glyphosate-resistant experimental lines has been initiated at NDSU through a new breeding program. Developing a new soybean variety requires seven years. As the first step in the breeding process, crosses were initiated in the summer of 2010 and new crosses have been developed in each subsequent year. As part of the continuing process of developing new lines, 2,367 GT plant-rows were planted in the spring of 2016. In the 2016 growing season, the first year of replicated yield testing was conducted for 1,500 new glyphosate-resistant, experimental lines. In 2016, 140 experimental lines were tested for the second year and 27 of these have been advanced to the third year of yield evaluation in the 2017 growing season. These 27 advanced experimental lines vary in maturity from a 00.6 to a 0.9 maturity and at this point are yielding very competitively with company GMO varieties. A total of 5,480 plots were devoted to this project in 2016.

Three glyphosate-resistant experimental lines were increased in the 2016-2017 winter season in Chile, South America. An additional 24 advanced GT experimental lines are being yield tested for the third year in 2017 and some of these could potentially be released in January of 2019. ND17009GT is a glyphosate-resistant variety developed by NDSU that was released to seed growers in January of 2017. Commercial quantities of seed for ND17009GT will be available to farmers to plant in the 2018 growing season.

The benefit to the North Dakota soybean industry is that the cost of seed for glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties will be reduced. This will reduce input costs because growers will be able to save their own seed of glyphosate-resistant soybean varieties that have been developed

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.