The grant would enable NDSU to continue the process of developing glyphosate-tolerant soybean cultivars. This project will significantly reduce seed costs to soybean growers and provide a mechanism for weed management. Glyphosate-tolerant experimental lines in the NDSU breeding program are being tested in a range of maturity that varies from MG 00.6-1.3, and are properly adapted throughout the entirety of North Dakota. New experimental lines are developed each year. NDSU has a very large breeding program devoted to development of glyphosate-tolerant cultivars and will continue to expand this year. This project is also working to acquire the glufosinate tolerant trait and breeding would be begin as soon as possible.

The objective is to continue the process of developing glyphosate-tolerant experimental lines with a goal of releasing additional cultivars of varying maturities that are developed by NDSU. In addition, other herbicide resistance traits are being explored to incorporate into this project.

The first high yielding glyphosate tolerant (GT) variety that is also tolerant to IDC and soybean cyst nematode is expected to be evaluated for release in 2022/ 2023. In addition, NDSU has released 4 GT varieties. In 2021, two new GT lines were released: ND21008GT20 and ND2108GT73. ND21008GT20 is an improvement on ND17009GT with increased IDC tolerance. ND2108GT73 is the first later maturing line at MG 0.8. This variety
allows NDSU soybean to be grown in new areas of the states and even in South Dakota, expanding the market area for NDSU. The first GT cultivar (ND17009GT) was released in January of 2017. ND17009GT is a 00.9 maturity, GT variety with high yield, excellent phytophthora root rot resistance that is moderately tolerant to IDC. ND18008GT is a 00.7 maturity, GT NDSU variety that was released in January of 2018. ND18008GT is resistant to soybean aphid, has an excellent gene for phytophthora root rot resistance, good IDC tolerance and lodging resistance as well as yield that is equal to a private-company RR2 variety. The NDSU Soybean Breeding
program has a past history of producing new cultivars that are very competitive with private company products.

The intent is that growers will be able to reduce their input costs by purchasing high-yielding, very competitive, GT cultivars developed at NDSU. Monsanto has stated that starting in 2015 growers will be able to save their own seed for planting the following year. However, the private company cultivars are also protected under a Variety Patent. Varieties developed at NDSU are not patented. Currently, four GT varieties that were developed by NDSU are available to soybean growers. Continual yield and trait improvement is occurring within the program which includes introducing new materials from other successful breeding programs.