Genetic marker selection led to variety that broke world soybean yield record

As you may have read this week, Missouri farmer Kip Cullers achieved a 139-bu/acre soybean average in a contest field in 2006, setting a new world yield record. Any company whose products were associated with that field will reap a nice bonanza in publicity.

The biggest winner will likely be Pioneer, since Cullers broke the record with Pioneer 94M80.

After all, when someone reports an astounding soybean yield, the first question usually asked is: what variety? It's the same for any other row crop, kind of like people wanting to know what lure a fisherman was using when he reeled in a trophy catch. Never mind how deep he ran it or how fast he spooled it back to the boat. The name of the lure is all that matters.

The significant thing about 94M80 - as far as this record goes - may be that it was developed with genetic marker screening, a technology and breeding approach that seemed like science fiction 15 years ago. Molecular markers allow plant breeders to screen millions of plants for genes that already exist within the plant and contribute to increased yield potential and stability. Only plants that carry the key traits are used to develop new products. The company was an early adopter of the system. Marker screening cuts years off breeding programs by culling out less-promising lines right away.

According to a Pioneer press release today, the company's varieties developed with marker technology have posted yield gains significantly higher than the national average. According to the release, varieties developed with molecular markers averaged yield increases of 1.4 bu/acre per year during the past seven years, beginning with the first year of introduction.

How does that compare? Pioneer varieties developed without marker-assisted selection improved yields over a 10-year period at a rate of 0.5 bu/acre per year, while USDA soybean yield figures show yields grow at a rate of 0.4 bu/acre per year. In other words, about a three-fold gain in yield enhancement.