A new research position has been added to the University with $400,000 from the Federal Agriculture Appropriations bill.
Minnesota’s U.S. Sens. Norm Coleman (R) and Mark Dayton (D) recently secured the funding to create a new soybean genomics research position.
“It’s a good provision for soybeans, which is good for the (agricultural) economy in Minnesota, which is also really good for the state,” said Luke Friedrich, Coleman’s Minnesota press secretary.
“We’re one of the leaders in (agriculture) in the country, so it’s obviously important to make sure that we are doing what we can to help them to ultimately help the people of the state,” he said.
The new provision will provide money for continued research of the soybean genome.
“It’s the study of all the genes that are present in the soybean from a genetics standpoint,” said Jim Orf, professor in the department of agronomy and plant genetics.
Faculty and scientists at the Cargill Building’s Center for Microbial and Plant Genomics on the St. Paul campus conduct the research.
The money set aside for the new position will cover research costs. A principal scientist will conduct the research, along with one or more technicians and possibly student-workers.
The principal investigator would be the Agricultural Research Service scientist from the United States Department of Agriculture.
“Those researchers are not funded by state or University dollars in any way directly. They are fully funded from the USDA,” said Seth Naeve, assistant professor in the agronomy and plant genetics department. “They are actually adjunct professors in departments typically.”
The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association has been lobbying for more soybean research, said Sherry Lowe, director of communications for the association. Crops are continuously threatened by soybean rust, which, if widespread, could wipe out 80 percent to 90 percent of the soybean crop in Minnesota, the association said.
“The person who fills this ARS position is going to be working on the study of soybean genomics to try to map out the genes in the soybean so they can find a way to make a variety that will be resistant to rust,” Lowe said.
The research will also concentrate on increasing protein and oil in the soybean.
“The idea is to be able to identify the genes that are involved with protein content and, as a result, increase the protein content of soybeans that are adapted to Minnesota,” Orf said.
Increasing quality would, in return, raise the profit per bushel for Minnesota farmers, as well as allow them to stay competitive in the global marketplace.
Research conducted at the University has aided in the success of biodiesel in Minnesota, Lowe said. The state Legislature enacted a law in 2002 that requires nearly all diesel fuel in the state to contain at least 1 percent biodiesel blend starting Thursday.
“If we can increase oil content within the soybeans, that will be a big boost for (biodiesel production) Ö it will get more oil out of all the beans,” said Gary Wertish, agriculture director for Dayton.
