Sheyenne, a conventional nontransgenic soybean variety, has been developed and released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, according to Al Schneiter, North Dakota State University Department of Plant Sciences chair.

Sheyenne is expected to replace acreage of Barnes and LaMoure, both NDSU-released varieties. It has good lodging resistance and matures two days later than LaMoure and seven days earlier than Barnes, according to Ted Helms, leader of the NDSU soybean breeding program.

Helms says Sheyenne, averaged across 18 trials conducted in North Dakota from 2004 through 2006, yielded 10 percent more than LaMoure and 18 percent more than Barnes. Sheyenne has a lower protein content and slightly lower oil content than the variety Lambert. Sheyenne has a yellow hila, which is desirable for a conventional soybean variety.

Research indicates that Sheyenne has moderate resistance to iron deficiency chlorosis, according to Jay Goos, NDSU soil scientist. Berlin Nelson, NDSU plant pathologist, says Sheyenne has resistance to Phytophthora root rot Race 3 and is segregating for resistance to Race 4.

Sheyenne is named after the Sheyenne River that meanders through central and eastern North Dakota.

Sheyenne will be allocated through the County Crop Improvement and Seed Association this spring. The NDSU Research Foundation will apply for plant variety protection with Title V. Research fees will be collected, as they have been for many years with all NDSU soybean varieties.

The North Dakota Soybean Council provided some of the funding for the development of Sheyenne.

NDSU Agriculture Communication