1. Objective 1: Identify novel targets for increased oil that minimize the negative relationship between oil and protein.
a. (FY17) Mapping of QTL for oil and oil/protein content from developed populations- 03/2018.
b. Confirmation of QTL for oil and oil/protein content from developed populations- 03/2019.
c. (FY17) Development of carbon flux map for conventional soybean- 09/2018.
d. Development of carbon flux maps for selected transgenic events aiding in the identification of potential bottlenecks limiting accumulation of oil in the seed- 09/2019, 09/2020.
2. Objective 2: Develop and characterize cultivars and germplasm with = 20.5% seed oil content (13% moisture) while maintaining protein content (= 35%) and yield.
a. (FY17) Report of yield and NIR data from field trials- 12/2017, 12/2018, 12/2019
b. Development and evaluation of cultivars with increased oil.
c. Release of germplasm or cultivars with increased oil- 03/2019 & subsequent (data will be summarized after project conclusion).
d. (FY17) Creation of novel transgenic soybean that harbor gene stacks designed to simultaneously pull carbon towards oil reserves, and increase photosynthesis (carbon capture).
e. Report on traits of the aforementioned transgenic events which will include protein/oil content, along with small scale agronomic information (plot size estimates).
f. Promote commercialization and marketing of the newly released high oil cultivars and germplasm.
3. Objective 3: Assess the stability of different sources of the increased oil trait from various sources in multiple northern and southern field environments.
a. (FY17) Selection of materials in specific genotypic and MG classes based on markers- 12/2017.
b. Report of stability of alleles across MG regions (data will be summarized after project conclusion).
c. Identification of stable high oil lines with specific oil allele or allele combinations for breeding programs.