This project was initiated preceding the incorporation and standardization of KPIs. The progress of objectives are as follows:
Achieving objectives:
• Soybean breeders in commercial companies are using lines from this project as parents and lines from those crosses are now in their more advanced yield tests, over 300 lines were transferred in 2013. More than 15 experimental lines have been used as parents by companies.
• Lines containing diverse germplasm did exceptionally well in both the 2014 Northern and Southern Uniform Tests. Over 110 lines, derived from over 70 exotic parents, were entered in the tests from this project this year. Additional lines were entered by public breeders not involved directly in the project, but whose lines contain exotic germplasm originally from the project. This is an incredible amount of diversity when contrasted to the knowledge that current soybean varieties have over 95% of their genes derived from only 35 ancestral lines. In the Northern Test, 25 lines derived from 29 exotic ancestors exceeded checks by 1-13%. In the Southern Test, 5 lines exceeded the checks from 1-16%. Some of these lines may derive their advantage to later maturity, which needs to continue to be monitored.
• High yielding lines are being advanced in each of the state programs.
• Many of the best yielding lines have genes derived from PI416937. The researchers believe there are two yield alleles or QTL responsible for these increases. They are termed Yld1 and Yld2. These alleles confer improvement in several but not all backgrounds. Work is ongoing to understand these genetic regions better.
• Last fall over 60 attendees participated in the 2nd Annual Wild Soybean Farmer-Finder Pick Your Bean Tour at Rocky Mount, NC where 1.5 million offspring (F3 plants) from wild x domesticated hybridizations (~30 acres) were grown. Hundreds of plants were selected by attendees. Attendees included from representatives USB, NC Soybean Producers Association, growers, breeders from Monsanto, Bayer, and Pioneer. A film crew from Osborn and Barr filed the event to prepare a magazine article and video.
• Genomic selection is being applied to Soybean Asian Germplasm Evaluation (SAGE) data that was collected in 1998 and 1999, to see if yield prediction can be modeled and/or if yield QTL can be mapped. Genomic selection is also being applied to the NAM breeding populations that include exotic germplasm.
• A dominant gene responsible for the impermeable seed coat, a problem for the early soybean production system in the south, was identified. Manipulation of the gene has potential for the early soybean production system and also for reducing seed damage caused by weathering and mold. Unusually good weather in Stoneville led to a relatively stress free growing season. Yields of DS65-1, the line containing the impermeable seed coat gene, did not yield as well as other checks, but was superior to all in terms of seed quality and germination.
• The researchers are pursuing continued use of the 6K SNP chip rather than developing a new 3K chip. Illumina has agreed to lower the price if enough chips are ordered.
• A set of G. max x G. soja (N7103 x PI366122) crosses was generated, creating lines that segregate for all of the SNP alleles. Analysis of the lines is ongoing, but the set of lines are expected to be released in 2015.
• Work to transfer large portions of the wild soybean genome from 35 diverse accessions to agronomically adapted soybean breeding lines is ongoing in several. Lines were advanced in the fields this summer and the data is being collected and analyzed. In North Carolina, F4, F3, F2 and F1 plants were generated. In Missouri and Illinois F3 plants were progressed.
• Assessment of the core and mini-core collections of wild soybean is ongoing. Seventy two wild soybean accessions were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq resulting almost 200,000 SNPs present in over 50 accessions and 8.6 million SNPS in more than 4 accessions. The collections area also being evaluated for a second year for seed traits, including root architecture, and seed composition. GWAS will be developed for this data. New data will be added in 2015.
• High yielding lines from G. tomentella x soybean crosses are being advanced. Some lines continue to yield better than the soybean parent, in several cases the yield increases may be due to later maturity, but others seem to yield better at the same maturity.
Not Achieving objectives:
•None at this time.