The University of Minnesota Soybean Breeding program is critical to the development of new early-maturing soybean varieties and incorporation of newly discovered forms of pest and disease resistance into Minnesota-adapted germplasm. The UMN breeding program also conducts a state-wide variety trial of both private and public soybean lines, offering an unbiased source of information to farmers for variety selection. We are proposing to build off past success and continue these activities while looking to better organize the project around product concepts, new methods, and an infusion of available germplasm from the private sector to increase yield. With the creation of the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston, MN, w we will focus our efforts on the TRUSOYA high oleic, omega-3 profile. The presence of an operating public breeding program is highly beneficial to the development of new-use and specialty-type soybeans in response to demand created by domestic and international markets.

Goal 1: Contribute to the resiliency and economic opportunities of Minnesota soybean growers.
Objective 1: Develop varieties adapted to Minnesota that can be utilized at the AIC, and new sources of pest and disease resistance for application to Minnesota-adapted varieties.

Goal 2: Provide an unbiased source of information to growers on the relative performance of commercial varieties adapted across Minnesota.
Objective 2: Continue testing public and private soybean varieties available to Minnesota soybean producers.

Objective 3: Re-evaluate role of UMN Commercial Variety Test and investigate other models that may be more complementary to similar trials available in the private sector (e.g., FIRST trials). One example includes initiation of a trial focused on relative performance of commercial soybean varieties following a cover crop treatment.

Goal 3: Contribute to the long-term sustainability of soybean production in the face of new and evolving pests.
Objective 3: Discover and develop new sources of resistance to soybean pests and diseases.

1) New soybean varieties and improved soybean germplasm for yield, disease resistance, and quality; 2) Specialty soybean varieties (including TRUSOYA varieties) licensed to companies that will keep the identity preserve soybean market healthy in Minnesota; 3) New compositional and pest-resistance traits integrated into elite genetic backgrounds with high yield; 4) A published variety trials reporting containing unbiased information on variety field performance.

The maintenance of a strong public breeding program within Minnesota gives Minnesota farmers access to more early-maturing variety choices, whether they be commodity-type or food-type. Discovery and development of new traits and sources of resistance helps keep Minnesota soybean production sustainable. The breeding program is a key outlet of gene discoveries made by other researchers on campus. The Minnesota Variety Trials offer an unbiased source of information on variety performance which farmers can use to manage their farm.