The genetic base of soybean breeding programs is relatively narrow. Thus, there is a lack of diversity for many traits for breeders to work with. In addition, there is limited understanding of the relationship between grain yield and shoot architecture. Thus, our overall focus is on examining the relationship between shoot architecture and grain yield, and manipulating variation for shoot architecture with the goal to increase yield. Two approaches that are used to overcome the narrow genetic variation barrier are mining mutagenized populations and germplasm collections. Mutant populations and natural variation in germplasm collections harbor individuals with phenotypes that extend beyond...