Increasing yield and reducing production costs are imperative for greater soybean success in the Southeast. High-yielding soybeans with multiple disease and pest resistance can achieve greater profits, particularly when marketed to livestock and poultry producers who value high-quality soy protein. A continuous pipeline of cultivars to produce disease- and pest-protected varieties is needed to maintain this competitive edge for growers in the Southeast. Many successful soybean varieties throughout the Southeast are rooted in the soybean breeding program at the University of Georgia. Breeding methods combine classical breeding with genetic markers to efficiently select for both traits and yield. Marker-assisted breeding cuts down on the time it takes to develop and release cultivars.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, soybean breeders, Extension agents, seed companies