b"The company expects to release a variety to the market in 2028.The breeding variety that we used for Piggy Sooy is not a typical commercial variety that you would see on the farm, Salinas explains. Once we have this variety producing high levels of animal protein, we can then introduce our trait into the variety that we want, or into other varieties that will perform well in different territories and have resistances to other pests or other traits we will need. Moolec is also working on a beef protein project using pea plants and Hoogenkamp expects to see this technol-ogy applied to other seed components.We are showing what we can do with one protein first but we can also do other proteins, or shift the fatty acid profile, for example, he says. Many of these traits are not significant enough to make it to the market on their own, but were going to be able to breed them into other varie-ties and have the option to really build the bean we want. Sustainability ConcernsEven with improved genetics, difficult environmental conditions affect pro- Soybean field before harvest.PHOTO: PURIS HOLDINGS.tein levels as well as yields. In Africa, in addition to yield, IITA focuses on rust resistance and drought tolerance, as well as branching varieties to compensate for low plant populations. In the United States, most breeding programs focus onHumans require protein. The population is increasing.single-stem varieties. We are also focused on promiscuousAll protein starts with plants. nodulating soybeans which use rhizobiumSeth Naevestrains native to Africa to fix nitrogen because many African farmers are unable to apply inputs as in other parts of the world, Chigeza says.Especially in the face of climate change, he says its important for breed- markers that are linked to two majoryear we make new crosses and incorpo-ers to seek long-term sustainable solu- genes, Rhg-1 and Rhg-4 on chromo- rate known beneficial sources, Eskandari tions while protecting and enriching thesomes 18 and 8, respectively, Eskandarisays. Its important to have the reliable germplasm for future generations.says. So, when we do the moleculargenes in the background and ensure we It takes at least 10 to 12 years to bringanalysis, we make sure to select the linesare continually enriching the germplasm a new variety to market, so we need to bethat have these markers, allowing us toof our cultivar development pipeline. working ahead, Eskandari says. I makeefficiently narrow down several thousandUltimately, its about ensuring the 110 crosses every single year to mix up thelines to a few hundred that are likelyfuture of the worlds food supply, and genetics and select the best ones.resistant to SCN. This approach is highlyNaeve says the seed industry can play an Using molecular markers helps pre- cost-effective.important role by increasing the protein in serve genetic traits for the future whenSudden death syndrome (SDS) patho- soybeans and other seeds. bringing new varieties to market.gen is another climate-change relatedHumans require protein. The popula-Specifically, for soybean cyst nema- concern breeders are preparing to tackle. tion is increasing. All protein starts with tode (SCN) resistance, we have twoWe know it's on the horizon, so eachplants, he adds.SW58/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024"