Climate change has threatened soybean production and affected soybean growers’ profitability in the U.S. Increasing genetic yield potential and improving climate resilience using diverse soybean germplasm are important goals in soybean breeding and critical for soybean production in the U.S. With funding support from the United Soybean Board over the past several years, the team has successfully developed a strong pipeline of elite soybean materials with high-yield, climate-resilience and diverse pedigrees and novel breeding technologies and tools to support breeding efforts. Based on previous discoveries and research foundation, seven scientists from six soybean-growing states across MG 00 to VIII will work as a team in this proposal to achieve the following objectives: 1) evaluate and release high yielding soybean varieties with regional adaptation and climate resilience across MG 00 to VIII; 2) develop soybean germplasm with diverse genetic background for climate resilience; and 3) discover novel genes associated with climate resilience using emerging technologies and methodologies to support the breeding efforts. The outcomes generated from this proposal include released varieties/germplasm with wide regional adaptation for commercial production and next-gen breeding materials, and novel genes associated with climate resilience. This work will benefit soybean growers in the U.S. by providing new soybean varieties adapted to regional growing conditions with tolerance to climate changes. The project will also provide new and improved germplasm to the commercial and public breeders for use as parental stocks. Novel genes associated with climate resilience will benefit soybean researchers, enabling accelerated genetic gains.

The goal of this proposal is to develop and release climate-resilient soybean varieties across MG 00 to VIII.
Objectives:
? Obj. 1: To evaluate and release high-yielding soybean varieties with regional adaptation and climate resilience across MG 00 to VIII.
? Obj. 2: To develop soybean germplasm with diverse genetic background for climate resilience.
? Obj. 3: To discover novel genes associated with climate resilience using emerging technologies and methodologies to support breeding efforts.

? High-yielding soybean varieties with regional adaptation and climate resilience across MG 00 to VIII for commercial production
? Soybean germplasm with diverse genetic background for climate resilience that are available for public and private soybean breeding programs
? Novel genes associated with climate resilience to support breeding efforts

Updated June 1, 2024:
Progress Summary
I) Evaluation and release of high-yielding soybean varieties with regional adaptation and climate resilience:
In 2024, five new soybean lines were released V16-0248DI, V19-0064DT, S19-10701, S19-19764HOLL, and S19-12537 across different maturity groups. These lines have demonstrated significant regional adaptation and climate resilience. Additionally, three more soybean lines are under evaluation and may be released by the end of the year.
We have entered over 120 soybean breeding lines into the USDA Preliminary and Regional Uniform trials. Moreover, 200 additional breeding lines are being evaluated for various biotic and abiotic stresses across multiple state trials in the U.S.

II) Development of soybean germplasm with diverse genetic background for climate resilience
For 2024, we are testing 136 diverse soybean breeding lines. These lines are being evaluated in local and regional diversity trials. We are also developing 150 breeding populations with desirable traits and conducting several crosses to introduce related traits into the breeding lines.

III) Discovery of novel genes associated with climate resilience using emerging technologies and methodologies to support breeding efforts
Our team planted over 300 soybean accessions across multiple locations. These accessions will be screened for canopy temperature, yield, and photosynthesis-related traits using drones. Subsequently, the data collected will be used to conduct genomic studies. We are also using genomic prediction models incorporating 6,000 established SNPs and 15 specific markers for abiotic and biotic stress.

View uploaded report

High yield, weather resilient soybean varieties will directly secure and increase soybean farmer's income.