Sequence Promotes Better Beans

Applied Genetics News,  May, 2001  

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Monsanto Co. (800 North Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63167; Tel: 314/694-1000, Fax: 314/694-7625; Website: www.monsanto.com) has announced its intent to donate a single Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) genetic marker to the United Soybean Board's Technology Utilization Center. This donation is expected to build upon the group's ongoing work on the Better Bean Initiative program.

"This announcement is a great example of the progress that can be made when private and public sectors work together for the benefit of farmers," says Carl Casale, vice president and general manager for Monsanto's North American agriculture business.

The mission of the Better Bean Initiative is to step up the development and availability of soybean seed with enhanced composition traits. The United Soybean Board has been working with public and private sector industry partners from the food, feed, and seed industries to leverage resources and determine the most efficient way to bring these new soybean products to market. The development of soybean seed with enhanced traits will better position U.S. soybeans to meet the needs of oil and protein end- users and improve the economic value for U.S. soybean farmers.

Genetic markers are often used as a flag to identify the specific location of a genetic trait on a chromosome. By flagging the desired trait, plant breeders can breed plants both more efficiently and more accurately.

The Simple Sequence Repeat identifies the low palmitic fatty acid trait within the soybean genome. This marker is expected to quickly accelerate the Better Bean Initiative's goal of developing a high-yielding soybean variety that produces soybeans significantly lower in saturated fat.

"The United Soybean Board appreciates Monsanto's donation of the low palmitic marker to the Technology Utilization Center in support of the Better Bean Initiative," comments Don Latham, chairman of the Better Bean Initiative advisory panel and immediate past chairman of the United Soybean Board.

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