This project will establish a coordinated team of investigators in the field of soybean breeding and genomics to focus on the genetic improvement of soybean tolerance to flooding. Research in this proposal will emphasize genetic mapping of genes conferring water-logging tolerance and developing molecular markers for marker-assisted selection in flood tolerance breeding. They will cross exotic flood tolerant sources to elite breeding lines in maturity groups III, IV, and V to develop improved germplasm and flood tolerant varieties as quickly as possible. The overall goal of this project is to genetically map genes associated with flooding tolerance (water-logging) and to incorporate flooding tolerance genes into elite Group III, IV, and V germplasm and varieties adapted to the Midwest and Southern soybean production regions.

1. Map genes conferring flooding tolerance in soybean.
2. Identify candidate genes underlying flooding tolerance in soybean and develop gene-based SNP markers for marker-assisted selection.
3. Incorporate tolerance genes into elite germplasm and varieties adapted to the Midwest and southern soybean production regions.

During the period of the grant, we aim to achieve the following:

1. Map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for flooding tolerance using two RIL (recombinant inbred line) populations at multiple field locations.

2. Develop breeder-friendly DNA markers for use in marker-assisted selection.

3. Select breeding lines with improved flooding tolerance from mapping and breeding populations for germplasm release.

1. Map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for flooding tolerance using two RIL (recombinant inbred line) populations at multiple field locations.

2. Develop breeder-friendly DNA markers for use in marker-assisted selection.

3. Select breeding lines with improved flooding tolerance from mapping and breeding populations for germplasm release.