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Article: Chinese soybean germplasm could hold key to future yield increases.(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- Feedstuffs
- Article date:
- August 12, 2002
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2002 Miller Publishing Company, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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URBANA, ILL.--The soybeans grown today in Illinois are descended from Chinese varieties introduced into the U.S. between 1910 and 1930. Eight of those varieties contribute 75% of the genes in the current varieties grown here.
Also, according to Randy Nelson, curator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Soybean Germplasm Collection at the University of Illinois, that narrow genetic base could well limit future progress to increase yields.
"In recent years, we have seen new diseases develop, such as sudden death syndrome and white mold," he said. "We also have found changes in the pathogen populations of other diseases, such as phytophthora rot and ...