The soybean breeding and genetics project addresses the following target areas listed by the Nebraska Soybean Board for FY21:
(1) Genetic-based improvement in soybean yield potential
(2) Use of new genes for soybean resistance to disease and insect pests.
(3) adjustment of soybean seed composition to enhance marketability.
We develop more than 30,000 new lines each year over all breeding objectives, and those are evaluated and selected through multiple stages and years of testing. Major objectives include improved yield and compositional quality, and improved resistance and tolerance to stresses including IDC, drought, and multiple disease and insect pests. Germplasm from our breeding program consistently ranks at the top of the USDA regional performance trials that are conducted throughout the north central region in collaboration with other university and USDA programs. New soybean cultivars are available to soybean producers and seed suppliers, and are also used as parents in breeding programs at other USDA, university, and commercial programs throughout the US. Direct commercialization of new lines also occurs through license agreements to companies and germplasm suppliers. This is a continuing and long-term program. There is little modification to the planned program for FY21, except for our new advances in identification and use of soybean lines and genes that control rate of plant growth and development, and our breakthrough in seed composition and yield.

(1) Produce high-yielding soybean varieties well adapted to Nebraska production systems
(2) Develop germplasm and cultivars for use in specialty markets
(3) Produce germplasm and cultivars with improved compositional quality
(4) Evaluate and develop germplasm and cultivars that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses important for Nebraska producers, such as iron deficiency chlorosis, soybean cyst nematode (SCN), phytophthora root rot, soybean mosaic virus, bean pod mottle virus, and sudden death syndrome (SDS).

1. Release at least one new soybean cultivar with superior yield in Nebraska production environments
2. Release at least one new soybean cultivar with superior yield and resistance to SCN, Phytophthora root rot, IDC, SDS, or other biotic or abiotic stress
3. Develop at least one new line with improved seed compositional quality – higher seed protein concentration, higher seed oil concentration, improved balance of protein, oil, and carbohydrates, or other compositional quality traits.

Updated May 19, 2023:

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The progress in yield is important because we continue to develop and select from our Nebraska environments top-yielding lines for Nebraska that yield significantly better than the high-yield checks. Their performance holds up over years in Nebraska and is superior across the northcentral region, as shown by the Uniform Soybean Test results. With our multi-location evaluation program at high-yield farm sites in Nebraska, we identify high yield potential and are able to make significant gains in yield with each breeding cycle. Our high-yield lines are used by other programs as parents, and thus contribute to increasing genetic gain and expanding the genetic base in those programs as well. In addition, with nearly 5.5 million acres of soybean in Nebraska, our program remains unique in that it develops soybean varieties specifically adapted to Nebraska production environments.
Our seed composition results are important because we have shown that 60% seed protein concentration and 26% seed oil concentration are obtainable, the lines were used to expand the NIR calibrations available to researchers throughout the US, and we are following up with more detailed evaluation of the extreme seed compositions and effects on yield and other important agronomic traits. The multiple, large populations, recently evaluated as part of graduate student research projects, have produced hundreds of lines with increased total protein and oil together, with reduced carbohydrates in the seeds. Results from multi-location yield tests of extreme lines show we have recovered increased seed protein and seed oil, with no negative relationship with yield in these populations. That is significant, especially for soybean producers in the western soybean production areas where seed protein tends to be lower, and 60% or more of soybean production enters the export market.
We also have developed a collection of some of the most IDC-tolerant soybean lines available. Together with improved yield and seed composition, resistance to IDC will improve productivity and value on millions of soybean production acres. Many of our high-yield lines have other resistances, like phytophthora root rot, SCN, SMV, and BPMV as well.

This project benefits Nebraska soybean farmers directly by developing high-yield soybean cultivars specifically adapted to Nebraska production environments. The project also benefits farmers by providing superior germplasm with improved yield, compositional quality, stress tolerance, or resistance to specific diseases that are used as parents in commercial, university, and USDA programs in the US. In addition to the cultivar and germplasm development, the genetics and breeding research from this project helps educate and train future plant breeders and provides valuable information to the soybean breeding research community to enhance our ability to develop superior soybean varieties for US producers.
Nebraska soybean lines continue to top the USDA Uniform Regional Trials and SCN Regional Tests for our maturity groups.
Our lines U14-910097 and U14-925152 are MG2 lines with near immunity to SCN, with resistance sources coming from PI 88788 and PI 437654 (‘Hartwig’). Both lines also have excellent phytophthora resistance. The U14-910097 line is used as a high-yield, SCN resistant check in the Uniform and SCN tests, and is the #1 line for the 2018-19 2-year average in the SCN MG2 tests and the USDA Uniform MG2 tests. Our line U15-606207 continues to be the #1 line in the SCN MG3 test for 2018, 2019, and the 2018-19 2-year average. U15-606207 also is highly resistant to SCN with PI 88788 and PI 437654 sources of resistance, along with excellent resistance to phytophthora root rot. We have 7 of the top 10 lines in the Uniform USDA MG3 preliminary tests, we have the top 5 lines, and 8 of the top 10, in the MG2 USDA Uniform tests, the #1 line in the MG1 Uniform test for 2019, and the top 2 lines for the 2018-19 2-year average. In addition to the conventional high-yield lines, we have significant progress and interest in our germplasm with increased seed protein concentration, high-oil lines, and lines with improved balance of protein and oil. These materials also are being evaluated by interested parties. Our program is producing consistent, high-yield lines that are well adapted to Nebraska -- yields here and at one or more Illinois locations exceeded 100 bu for many lines -- and are well adapted across the north central USA. These and other top lines have been distributed to companies and university programs for crossing and for commercialization.