BACKGROUND ON RESEARCH PROJECT:

Health concerns over trans-fats have decreased use of soybean oil as a food product. The University of Missouri has developed a soybean trait that has improved oil quality via non-GMO breeding. Marketed as SOYLEIC™, the varieties contain greater than 80% oleic acid and less than 3% linolenic acid (high oleic and low linolenic, or HOLL). While the United Soybean Board (USB) has been funding the Illinois SOYLEIC breeding program, testing demands for the existing pipeline exceed USB support.

ISA checkoff funding will give the breeding program the resources to conduct an intensive evaluation of SOYLEIC lines developed through funding from USB. The number of yield plots will increase by at least 4,000 across five Illinois locations.

Illinois farmers will have more options for high-yielding SOYLEIC varieties adapted to the various growing environments across the state. This will allow them to capitalize on premium market opportunities in the food industry and various industrial uses.

ABOUT DR. DIERS:

The importance of soybeans as a globally important protein and oil crop has fueled Dr. Diers’ 30+ years of soybean breeding. His current research focuses on developing nonGMO varieties with high oleic acid and low linolenic acid. He works closely with public and private soybean breeders and the SOYLEIC commercialization team. In addition to his role as a soybean breeder, Dr. Diers is a university professor, which has allowed him to visit many places around the world he otherwise never would have seen.

To learn more about this checkoff funded research project, click here!