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Soybean breeding program at KSU releases many new varieties
Kansas
Kansas State University researchers have been studying soybeans for nearly a century and developing improved varieties in the soybean breeding program since the 1960s.
William T. Schapaugh Jr., professor of agronomy, said K-State continues to research and develop soybean varieties because they are an important commodity to Kansas agriculture.
"Kansas generally ranks in the top 10 among the states in total soybean production, but production is very competitive on a worldwide scale," Schapaugh said. "Kansas farmers must be able to compete effectively with other states and worldwide."
Schapaugh said K-State works to develop varieties with multiple characteristics, such as varying maturity for different parts of the state, disease resistance and yield.
"We develop new varieties with a wide range of maturities and different types of resistance to fit the wide spectrum of growing conditions in Kansas," Schapaugh said. "To be competitive, Kansas soybeans need protection from disease and insects, as well as good drought resistance. We're trying to develop soybean varieties that don't collapse under drought and heat stress.
"Genetic improvement of soybean varieties in Kansas increases yields by about .2 bushels per acre per year and increases farm revenue by over $3 million per year," he said. "Yield losses from pathogens, particularly soybean cyst nematode, reduce farm income in Kansas by over $5 million per year."
Schapaugh said K-State has released 10 soybean varieties in the past two years. He said several of those varieties possess resistance to soybean cyst nematode, a serious disease affecting soybeans. He also noted that 2004 is the first year K-State released Roundup Ready, or genetically modified, varieties.
Schapaugh said parent seed of K-State's soybean varieties is sold to businesses who increase the seed and sell to farmers.
"K-State doesn't have the capacity to produce large amounts of seed, so we can't produce enough to sell to farmers," Schapaugh said. "Public releases and germplasm from Kansas State University contribute to the yield improvement and protection of the yield potential by the direct utilization of the new varieties and indirectly through the use of the new improved germplasm in other public and private breeding programs."
Schapaugh said, prior to the release of Roundup Ready varieties, K-State and other public soybean varieties were grown on about 15 percent of the acreage in Kansas.
"With Roundup Ready varieties previously being developed and released primarily by private companies, only a small percentage of soybeans currently grown in Kansas are K-State varieties," Schapaugh said. "With the release of Roundup Ready varieties beginning this year, growers will now have access to K-State-developed varieties with the traits they need."
Other members of the K-State Research and Extension Soybean Breeding and Genetics program team include Tim Todd, instructor of plant pathology; Jim Long, assistant professor at the Southeast Research and Extension Center; Harold Trick, associate professor of plant pathology; Tom Herald, professor of animal sciences and industry; Susan Sun, professor of grain science and industry; John Reese, professor of entomology; and Donghai Wang, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering.
The soybean breeding program receives funding from the Kansas Soybean Commission and the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Schapaugh joined K-State in 1979. He earned his master's in 1977 and doctorate in 1979 in plant breeding and genetics from Purdue University. He received his bachelor's in agronomy from Iowa State University in 1975.
Date: 11/22/04
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