A transgenic Roundup-resistant soybean variety, RG7008RR, 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.

RG7008RR will be marketed by the North Dakota State University Research Foundation through Roughrider Genetics.

Compared with RG6008RR (also released by NDSU) during tests conducted from 2004 through 2006, the new variety has a 1.8 bushel-per-acre yield advantage and is similar in maturity date and lodging resistance, according to Ted Helms leader of the NDSU soybean breeding project.

In other comparisons, plant height is about 2 inches shorter, while protein and oil content are similar. The new line has a purple flower; tawny, pubescence, brown pod; intermediate seed coat luster; and a yellow hila.

Numbers are used to designate transgenic varieties to avoid confusion with named nontransgenic types. RG stands for Roughrider Genetics, 7 the year of release, 008 the soybean maturity group, and RR designates resistance to the herbicide Roundup.

The North Dakota Soybean Council provided some of the funding for the development of RG70008RR.

NDSU Agriculture Communication