The importance of planting the right variety cannot be stressed enough. As soil and weather conditions vary from area to area along the Texas Gulf Coast, it is important for growers to be able to determine varieties that will perform best in each respective area. Due to the variability across the region, a blanket cannot be put over the entire area and say that several specific varieties are the only ones that will perform well.

Developing soybean varieties that are adapted to growing conditions in Texas can be a long and tedious process since growing conditions vary across the state. Evaluating selections from the Missouri breeding program will allow us to be able to have varieties that are adapted to Texas growing conditions. Since many of these breeding lines are using the first generation of glyphosate technology, the patent is no longer applicable; therefore, seed costs to the grower will be lower due to no technology fees.

1) Determine commercial soybean varieties that provide the best yield under rainfed conditions in the different growing regions along the Texas Gulf Coast production area specifically Victoria, Calhoun, and Jefferson Counties
2) Evaluate soybean varieties for iron chlorosis tolerance
3) Evaluate soybean breeding lines from the Missouri breeding program for adaptability, growth and yield along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Since all the variety studies will be conducted under rain-fed conditions, the results from each area may provide us with some knowledge of drought/flood tolerance.

The results of this research will provide soybean growers along the Texas Gulf Coast with needed information on the varieties that will work best in each area and just not rely on information from the various seed companies. Many times the seed company information is obtained from results in other areas or even other states. The results of our studies will be published on-line with the Texas A&M Soil and Crop Science website which has a section on variety testing. Also, the results will be presented at various county and extension grower meetings.