This project would provide soybean farmers with improved non-GMO cultivars that have been developed by NDSU. Also, growers need information that enables them to select the best private company variety for their farm and to identify which varieties are best on Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) infested soil and iron-deficiency chlorosis (IDC) prone soils. This project would provide yield results of variety testing on SCN-infested soils and soils that exhibit IDC symptoms. Protein and oil content of company varieties will also be provided. The NDSU soybean breeding program has a long history of providing very competitive varieties. There are many improved non-GMO experimental lines that are close to being released as named cultivars. The non-GMO breeding effort is very important as a source of high-yielding parents for use in the development of glyphosate-resistant cultivars.

This research had four broad objectives which included:
i) provide soybean growers in North Dakota with non-GMO cultivars which are genetically superior to cultivars that are currently grown;
ii) to enable private companies and growers to compare yield of SCN-resistant cultivars and experimental lines at three North Dakota sites that are infested with SCN;
iii) to increase yield on IDC-prone soils and increase profit on those problem soils;
iv) collection of grain samples from the Variety Fee Tests and reporting the protein and oil data in the NDSU Soybean Performance bulletin.

Deliverable results include:
i) development and release of non-GMO soybean varieties;
ii) data will be provided to aid growers in identification of which private company varieties are best suited to their fields that are infested with SCN;
iii) data that will be provided to aid growers in identification of which private company varieties are best suited their soils that are prone to IDC:
iv) information will be provided that compares the protein and oil content of different private company varieties.
The results of the IDC yield tests, and the SCN-infested soil tests, the protein & oil content of private and public varieties will be reported in the "North Dakota Soybean Performance Bulletin (A-843)" and also online at
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/varietytrials/soybean .

Updated December 1, 2021:
Breeding of Improved Non-GMO Cultivars and Germplasm (2021)- Miranda

Objectives of the research: This research had four broad objectives which included: i) provide soybean growers in North Dakota with non-GMO cultivars which are genetically superior to cultivars that are currently grown; ii) to enable private companies and growers to compare yield of SCN-resistant cultivars and experimental lines at three North Dakota sites that are infested with SCN; iii) to increase yield on IDC-prone soils and increase profit on those problem soils; iv) collection of grain samples from the Variety Fee Tests and reporting the protein and oil data in the NDSU Soybean Performance bulletin.

Completed work: The non-GMO program was about a third of the NDSU soybean program in 2021. Forty two new populations that have a superior background were created that may eventually become new high yielding lines that also have other useful traits such as SCN and IDC resistance. Resistance to soybean sudden death syndrome initiated in these crosses as well. These crosses are currently being advanced in the winter nursery along with two hundred and eight four lines that will be grown as fourth generation plants in 2022. In 2023, lines selected from that experiment will be entered into the first year of yield tests. Selections for the first year of yield testing in 2022 are still being analyzed along with other data from the 2021 harvest. Results of the variety fee tests have been reported online at https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/varietytrials/soybean will be printed in the Soybean Variety Trials bulletin A-843.

Preliminary results: Hundreds of advanced lines of varying maturity were harvested in October 2021, that show promising resistance against IDC, SCN, and Phytophthora. These lines will be evaluated further for resistance through collaboration with other researchers. These lines, once validated, will become superior germplasm to introgress herbicide resistance genes into or be available for conventional variety release including soy food lines. SCN infested fields were harvested without incident in October 2021.

Work to be completed: Data harvested in 2021 is currently being analyzed for selections of promising lines. Advanced lines will be yield tested throughout the state in 2022 to ensure high yield and correct adaptation to specific regions of the state and ensure superior agronomic traits i.e. lodging resistance. Conventional lines will continue to be evaluated for yield and agronomic performance, in addition with specialty traits. Data collected from SCN infected fields was reported in the Soybean Variety Trials bulletin A-843.

Updated August 19, 2022:
July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022 Annual Report: Breeding of Improved Non-GMO Cultivars and Germplasm

Principal Investigator: Dr. Carrie Miranda, Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University – Cooperating Scientists: Dr. Berlin Nelson, Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University

Growers have the option of purchasing non-GMO varieties that have been developed by North Dakota State University without paying a ‘technology fee’ and can then save their own seed. As glyphosate-resistant weeds, such as Kochia, become more common, growers may benefit from growing non-GMO varieties and applying herbicides with different modes of action than glyphosate. This scheme would avoid the use of applying expensive herbicides on GMO varieties with the associated high cost of seed. Also, the NDSU breeding program provides growers with the option of growing non-GMO varieties in the event that seed prices for GMO varieties get too expensive. This project has additional value by aiding growers in choice of cultivar for their farm by identifying which varieties are best on Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) infested soil and iron-deficiency chlorosis (IDC) prone soil. Growers also need information of the protein and oil content of private company varieties to increase the value per bushel of soybean grown in this region. All of these objectives have the potential to increase grower profit.

This research had four broad objectives which included: i) provide soybean growers in North Dakota with non-GMO cultivars which are genetically superior to cultivars that are currently grown; ii) to enable private companies and growers to compare yield of SCN-resistant cultivars and experimental lines at three North Dakota sites that are infested with SCN; iii) to increase yield on IDC-prone soils and increase profit on those problem soils; iv) collection of grain samples from the Variety Fee Tests and reporting the protein and oil data in the NDSU Soybean Performance bulletin.

Each summer, new crosses are developed to incorporate disease, SCN-resistance and tolerance to iron-deficiency chlorosis with a goal of developing improved non-GMO cultivars. A total of 3,394 F5 plant rows, dedicated to this research grant, were planted in 2021. Of these 980 lines were selected to advance into preliminary yield trials in 2022.

Breeding of non-GMO lines also includes the food grade lines such as tofu and natto. Due to very specific necessities of different market classes for food grade soybean, it is more efficient to partner with soy food companies to develop lines for their customers to ensure the soybean variety being released has a market. A relationship with Brushvale Seed is being developed to aide in the specialty release of natto soybean. The goal of communication with companies directly is to learn about the ideal specifications of soybean seed needed for their market and then to scour our current inventory by criteria such as seed size, protein content, sugar content, hilum color, etc. This will allow seed to be provided to companies for immediate testing. Long term, the NDSU program has specific goals for market class specifications to develop the perfect tofu or natto lines with necessary guidance directly from customers.

Protein and oil data was collected for publication in 2021and can be found in the ‘North Dakota Soybean Performance Bulletin (A-843)’ and also online.

Yield data was collected for 23 private company varieties on SCN infected fields in Prosper and Colfax. Yields ranged from 21.3 to 60.5 bu/a with a mean of 43.2. The purpose of this data is to provide yield data of private company varieties grown in SCN infected fields from a third party. These data should assist growers to feel confident in their variety selections especially if they are looking for SCN resistant varieties. The results of the SCN yield tests were reported in the ‘North Dakota Soybean Performance Bulletin (A-843)’ and also online.

Growers benefit when there are non-GMO varieties that give them a choice between buying new seed each year and being able to save the seed of non-GMO varieties to plant next year. Past success by NDSU in development of non-GMO varieties for the oilseed market includes ‘Traill’, ‘Ashtabula’ and ‘Sheyenne’. Food grade/ yellow hila soybean seems to have the highest demand in the non-GMO market and will become the focus of the conventional breeding program. In addition, the conventional program contains the most elite germplasm in the NDSU collection both for yield and disease resistance, including IDC resistance. These lines will be used as parents in the glyphosate resistant project to continue making use of this superior germplasm in different uses.

The non-GMO varieties developed by NDSU provide growers with an alternative to the use of glyphosate and permit different herbicides to be rotated in soybean fields across different years. The development of non-GMO varieties by NDSU includes specialty natto and tofu types. A number of local companies market specialty soybeans to overseas customers that want soybean for human consumption and these must be non-GMO soybeans. Past success by NDSU includes the tofu varieties ProSoy and ND1005T, which are grown and marketed by local companies as well as the natto varieties ND1100S and Nornatto. In addition, growers benefit when varieties from different private companies are compared under at the same field sites because this enables growers to increase yield on fields that have soil or pest problems.

View uploaded report

View uploaded report 2

July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022
Final Project Results: Breeding of Improved Non-GMO Cultivars and Germplasm

Principal Investigator: Dr. Carrie Miranda, Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University – Cooperating Scientists: Dr. Berlin Nelson, Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University


This project provides soybean farmers with improved non-GMO cultivars that have been developed by NDSU. Also, growers need information that enables them to select the best private company variety for their farm and to identify which varieties are best on Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) infested soil and iron-deficiency chlorosis (IDC) prone soils. This project provides yield results of variety testing on SCN-infested soils and soils that exhibit IDC symptoms. The NDSU soybean breeding program has a long history of providing very competitive varieties. There are many improved non-GMO experimental lines that are close to being released as named cultivars. The non-GMO breeding effort is very important as a source of high-yielding parents for use in the development of glyphosate-resistant cultivars.
In addition, food grade/yellow hila soybean varieties are produced in the non-GMO project. By partnering with soy food companies, specialty soy lines such as tofu and natto are created and identified and then tested by companies for their market specifications.

In 2021/2022, the non-GMO breeding project continued to flourish by identifying superior lines in the project that can be utilized both for food grade soybean varieties or for parents in the glyphosate tolerant project. These lines are superior due a combination of yield and other favorable traits such as hilum color, seed size, protein or sugar content, and disease resistance. They will also serve as parents in new crosses that are created to ensure their superior genetics continue to influence the NDSU soybean program.

In addition, NDSU has continued to test commercial varieties in SCN infected fields to ensure nonbiased and equal comparison of private company varieties to aid farmers in their decision making for varieties to purchase especially if they have infected soils. Data was analyzed and reported in the NDSU bulletin entitled ‘North Dakota Soybean Performance’ and was posted online.

Finally, development of IDC and phytophthora tolerant lines continues to be a priority for the NDSU breeding program. This upcoming year, in addition to IDC field testing and phytophthora screening of NDSU experimental lines, molecular markers will be used to test for IDC and phytophthora resistance in nursery lines, to ensure that resistance isn’t lost during generation advancement.

Improved non-GMO soybean cultivars give growers the option reducing their input costs by purchasing these types and the ability to save their own seed for planting the subsequent year. Information about the yield of company varieties on fields that are infested with SCN and the yield of company varieties on sites where iron-deficiency chlorosis is present will enable growers to increase yield and profit by enabling them to identify the best varieties for their fields. Information comparing protein and oil content of private varieties can be used to increase the value of soybean in our geographical region.