Purdue acquires soybean germplasm with unique yield traits
In Michigan, AGDaily reported that Purdue University’s Department of Agronomy has acquired the KenAvis soybean germplasm collection, a rare reservoir of underexploited genetic diversity, from alumnus Bob Taylor. The collection includes soybean lines with at least 20 distinct traits that Purdue will use and license for research, breeding and new varieties.
The report noted that current soybean breeding programs can be traced to a small number of breeding lines and lack the genetic diversity of the KenAvis collection. The collection’s unique traits, including four- and five-seeded pods, ultrashort internodes and terminal racemes with more than 20 pods, have the potential to transform soybean breeding.
“Purdue has the distinct expertise to maximize the return on this valuable collection for all sectors: independent farmers, food-grade growers and the seed industry,” said Katy Rainey, professor of agronomy and director of the Purdue Soybean Center.
“This collection really gives Purdue’s soybean program the opportunity to create a germplasm pool that is different from most of what’s available right now in the U.S.,” said Craig Anderson, CEO of Ag Alumni Seed. “Researchers can take the work that Bob did and enhance it with modern breeding technologies, genomics and some of the other germplasm tools that exist today.”
Category: Food & Agriculture
