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Master of Science / Department of Entomology / James R. Nechols / Temperature has an important indirect impact on pest populations. Direct effects occur, but also may result from temperature-induced changes in plant quality, including the expression of host plant resistance traits. Therefore, I examined both indirect and direct effects of temperature on biotype 1 soybean aphids (SBA), Aphis glycines, on a Rag1-resistant soybean variety and compared the effects with a susceptible variety to gain a better understanding of how temperature impacts SBA. Four aphid responses were evaluated: preimaginal development, survival to adulthood, number of progeny produced, and adult longevity. In the first experiment, I grew soybean seedlings to the V-0 stage at 25°C and then conditioned them for 0, 3 or 5 days at 20° or 30°C before infesting with a single first instar SBA at each of the two experimental temperatures. Based on previous literature for SBA, I hypothesized that conditioning plants at the lower temperature would cause resistance to break down and that longer exposure would exacerbate the effect. Results showed that conditioning soybeans to 20°C significantly reduced SBA survival, and the effect on survival increased with longer conditioning. Conditioning plants to 30°C had no significant effect on SBA survival. However, estimated population growth decreased as conditioning time increased at 30°C and this effect was also observed at 20°C. Thus, plant resistance may have increased at both temperatures. The second experiment compared SBA responses, including population growth, at four temperatures (15, 20, 25, and 30⁰C) on a Rag1-resistant and susceptible soybean variety. I predicted that SBA fitness would be lower at all temperatures on resistant soybeans, but the magnitude of differences between cultivars would not be uniform across temperatures. Results indicated that both temperature (highest and lowest) and plant resistance detrimentally affected SBA fitness. There was also a significant interaction between the two variables with respect to SBA survival. Survival was lower and development rates were slower on the resistant cultivar. SBA required more degree-days to develop on resistant soybeans compared to the susceptible cultivar. This information will aid soybean producers in implementing a cost-efficient IPM strategy involving Rag1 resistant soybeans to combat SBA under a range of temperatures.

Thesis (MScAgric.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Experi!11entsin KwaZulu-Natal showed that seed treatment with molybdenum (Mo) could double the yield and increase the protein content by 1.9% of soybeans grown on acidic soils. However, it was also found that soybean yield at five of the localities was reduced on average by 8% after Mo seed treatment. It was surmised that the yield reductions observed after Mo seed treatment were connected to the quality of the seed used for planting. The aim of this project was to assess the relationship between seed quality and Mo seed treatment and find a fast, easy quality assessment test that could be used to adapt Mo treatments according to seed quality. The first investigation entailed assessing the quality of the seed obtained, from various seed lots, for planting. A number of different seed quality testing techniques were performed and they included the accelerated ageing test, tetrazolium test, conductivity test, standard germination test and an emergence . test planted at different depths with incubation at different temperatures. All the test results were compared with the accelerated ageing test results, to find the test most closely correlated to the accelerated ageing test, which is regarded as the most accurate indicator of soybean seed vigour. It was found that the emergence test where the seeds where planted at 10 cm presented a close correlation with the accelerated ageing test. An assessment of seed quality revealed that the four different seed lots provided seed of three significantly different levels of quality, which could be used for further investigations. The second investigation was concerned with the reaction of the seed of different quality levels to Mo seed treatment. Firstly, seeds from four different seed lots were treated with five different concentrations of Mo and planted under acidic conditions. The establishment was monitored up until six weeks, at which point the experiment was terminated. In the second planting, seeds from the four different seed lots were treated with six different concentrations of Mo and planted under optimum pH conditions. Emergence was monitored and after thinning out the remaining plants were left to mature and produce seed. The emergence percentage results from both of these two plantings did not reveal the alleged positive effect Mo seed treatment has produced in the field and no definite relationship between seed quality and Mo seed treatment was observed. The third investigation was concerned with the effect that osmoconditioning had on the reaction of seed to Mo seed treatment. Seeds from two seed lots, one of very poor quality and the other of good quality, were pre-treated with four different levels of poly-ethylene glycol (PEG 6000) and then treated with four concentrations of Mo. They were planted under optimum pH conditions and establishment was monitored. After being thinned out the remaining plants were allowed to mature and produce seed. The emergence percentage results revealed that the PEG pre-treatments greatly improved emergence percentages, especially in the poor quality seed. There were some positive effects of Mo seed treatment observed where the lower concentrations of Mo were used, but again, no definite relationship between seed quality and Mo seed treatment was found. PEG pre-treatment appeared to help make the seeds more "resistant" to the harmful effects of Mo. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Navorsing in KwaZulu-Natal het aangetoon dat saadbehandeling met molibdeen (Mo) die opbrengs van sojabone op suurgrond kan verdubbel en die proteieninhoud met tot 1.9% kan verhoog. Daar is egter ook gevind dat sojaboonopbrengs op vyf lokaliteite met gemiddeld 8% gedaal het na saadbehandeling met Mo. "nVermoede bestaan dat die opbrengsverlagings wat voorgekom het na saadbehandeling met Mo verband hou met die kwaliteit van saad wat vir die aanplantings gebruik is. Die doel van die projek was om vas te stel wat die verband tussen saadkwaliteit en Mo saadbehandeling is en om "n vinnige en maklike toets te vind om saadkwaliteit te bepaal om sodoende Mo behandelings aan te pas volgens saadkwaliteit. In die eerste eksperiment is die kwaliteit van verskillende saadlotte wat verkry is, getoets. "n Aantal verskillende tegnieke om saadkwaliteit te bepaal is uitgevoer. Die tegnieke was die versnelde verouderingstoets, tetrazoliumtoets, konduktiwiteitstoets, standaard ontkiemingstoets en "n vestigingstoets waar saad op verskillende dieptes geplant en by verskillende temperature geïnkubeer is. Die resultate van die verskillende toetse is gekorreleer met die resultate van die versnelde verouderingstoets, wat beskou word as die toets wat die beste aanduiding gee van saadgroeikragtigheid. Daar is gevind dat sade wat 10 cm diep in sand geplant is, se opkoms die beste korrelasie met die versnelde verouderingstoets toon en dus as "n goeie aanduiding van die kwaliteit van saad beskou kan word. Daar is gevind dat daar drie saadlotte is met duidelike kwaliteitsverskille wat gebruik kon word in verdere eksperimente. Die tweede eksperiment het die reaksie van saad van verskillende kwaliteitsvlakke teenoor molibdeen saadbehandeling ondersoek. Eerstens is saad van vier verskillende saadlotte behandel met vyf verskillende konsentrasies Mo en onder baie suur toestande geplant. Die vestiging is gemonitor vir ses weke waarna die eksperiment gestaak is. Daarna is saad van dieselfde vier saadlotte behandel met ses verskillende Mo konsentrasies en onder optimum pH toestande geplant. Vestiging is gemonitor en na ses weke is die plante uitgedun en twee plante per pot is gelaat om saad te produseer. Die ~ vestigingspersentasie van beide die eerste en tweede plantings het nie die verwagte positiewe effek teenoor Mo saadbehandeling getoon nie en geen betekenisvolle verwantskap tussen saadkwaliteit en Mo saadbehandeling kon waargeneem word nie. Die derde eksperiment het die invloed van osmokondisionering op die reaksie van saad op Mo saadbehandeling ondersoek. Saad van twee saadlotte, een van goeie kwaliteit en een van swak kwaliteit, is voorafbehandel met poli-etileen glikol (PEG 6000) en daarna met vier konsentrasies van Mo behandel. Die sade is onder optimum pH toestande geplant en die vestiging is gemonitor. Nadat dit uitgedun is, is die oorblywende twee plante gelaat om saad te produseer. Die vestigingspersentasies het getoon dat PEG voorafbehandelings vestiging betekenisvol verbeter, veral in die geval van lae kwaliteit saad. Daar was 'n . positiewe effek van Mo saadbehandeling waar relatief lae konsentrasies molibdeen toegedien is, maar daar kon weereens nie 'n duidelike verwantskap tussen saadkwaliteit en Mo saadbehandeling waargeneem word nie. Dit blyk dat PEG voorafbehandeling die sade meer bestand teen die skadelike invloed van Mo gemaak het.

Globally, China is the number one soybean importer, and the United States, Brazil, and Argentina are the top three soybean exporters. This research, based on the reverse residual demand model, developed and estimated a two-country partial equilibrium trade model to test who has stronger market power in the Chinese soybean import market. This two-country partial equilibrium trade model incorporates the U.S. residual soybean supply for China, the Chinese residual demand for U.S. soybeans, and the equilibrium condition, where the U.S. residual soybean supply equals the Chinese residual soybean demand. Data used in this research are monthly data from January 1999 to February 2005, 74 observations. Empirical results indicated that Chinese soybean importers have stronger market power relative to U.S. soybean exporters.This research also conducted the competitive analysis of the Chinese soybean import market by examining both annual and monthly data of Chinese soybean imports from the U.S. and South America (Brazil and Argentina). Results implied that the U.S. and South America are seasonal complementary soybean suppliers for China. Possible reasons include: 1) seasonal difference--the U.S. and South America have opposing growing seasons, i.e., different time periods to supply soybeans to markets; and 2) stronger market power of Chinese soybean importers–China's strategic choice, diversifying their soybean suppliers and reducing price increase risk, made the U.S. and South America complementary soybean suppliers to China.Additionally, this research compared the soybean export costs to China for the three countries. Results showed that Brazil has the greatest advantage for production costs, followed by Argentina and the U.S.; the U.S. has the greatest advantage for internal and international transportation and marketing costs, followed by Argentina and Brazil. In aggregate, the total soybean export costs for Brazil were the lowest and the export costs for Argentina were the highest, with U.S. costs between them.In terms of policy implications for the U.S. soybean industry facing strong competition from South America, we cannot expect that U.S. market share in the Chinese soybean import market can be expanded much. With the development of infrastructure in Brazil and Argentina, the U.S. advantage will become less and less. Therefore, if the U.S. soybean industry wants to keep its current position in the Chinese soybean import market, some governmental policy supports are still necessary.

Master of Science / Department of Entomology / C. Michael Smith / The Dectes stem borer, Dectes texanus LeConte, is a pest of soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, in North America. Larval feeding weakens plant stems, triggering lodging of the infested plants and causing significant yield losses. D. texanus infestations in soybean fields are increasing across Kansas and other states, necessitating the development of effective tactics to control this pest. The use of D. texanus -resistant soybean cultivars is a desirable strategy to control this pest since cultural and chemical control options are lacking. In previous studies, the soybean plant introduction PI165673 was identified to be resistant to D. texanus. The objective of this research was to determine the inheritance of resistance to D. texanus in PI165673. F[subscript]2 progeny plants from crosses between the D. texanus susceptible genotypes KS5004N and K07-1544, and the resistant genotype PI165673 were tested in the field for resistance to D. texanus in 2011. Seeds from the cross K07-1544/PI165673 were advanced to the F[subscript]3 generation, and F[subscript]2:3 families were tested in the field for resistance to D. texanus in 2012. At 20 d after infestation with adults, the numbers of oviposition punctures and larvae on each plant were counted to estimate the oviposition puncture per larvae resistance ratio. Segregation for resistance to D. texanus and heritability estimates in the F[subscript]2 and F[subscript]2:3 populations indicated that resistance is controlled by more than one gene. Thirteen F[subscript]2:3 families had a higher (more resistant) resistance ratio than the susceptible parent K07-1544. Mean head capsule widths of larvae collected from K07-1544 and PI165673 plants in 2012 were similar, as was the percentage of larvae per larval instar. According to heritability estimates for each phenotypic trait, progress in breeding for D. texanus resistance using PI165673 will benefit from marker assisted selection. Identification of additional sources of D. texanus resistance besides that in PI165673 is needed to slow larval growth in the stem.

Atualmente a ferrugem-asiática da soja é a doença mais importante da cultura e desde o seu surgimento vem causando diversos prejuízos. Devido a sua importância, faz-se necessário buscar alternativas que possam contribuir com o manejo tradicional com fungicidas. Neste sentido, surge a indução de resistência como uma alternativa para o seu controle. Dentre os indutores de resistência, as fitotoxinas apresentam potencial como ativadoras de plantas e neste caso, mais especificamente a taxtomina, produzida por Streptomyces scabies. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial da fitotoxina taxtomina parcialmente purificada (TPP) e preparações de Streptomyces scabies como potenciais indutores de resistência em soja à Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Foram realizados ensaios para avaliar o efeito direto dos potenciais indutores deresistência a base de suspensão de células de Streptomyces scabies, filtrado de meio de cultivo de Streptomyces scabies, TPP e acibenzolar-S-metílico sobre a germinação de urediniósporos através do teste de microgotas em placas de Petri de poliestireno. Também foram realizados ensaios em folha destacada, onde fez-se a aplicação dos potenciais indutores e depois de determinado tempo fez-se a inoculação com P. pachyrhizi, sendo posteriormente avaliado o potencial dos compostos na redução da severidade. Ensaios em casa de vegetação foram conduzidos com plantas de soja que receberam a aplicação dos indutores e, posteriormente, foram inoculadas, onde avaliou-se a redução da severidade. Em casa de vegetação também foram conduzidos experimentos para a coleta de amostras para a realização de análises bioquímicas como peroxidase e fenóis, visando monitorar a atividade e o acúmulo de compostos relacionados a defesa de plantas a patógenos. Ensaio de campo foi realizado para verificar o potencial em reduzir a severidade da ferrugem da soja, onde foi avaliada a produtividade e a qualidade fisiológica das sementes produzidas. A expressão de genes relacionados as vias defesa como resposta a aplicação de taxtomina também foi monitorada. Como resultados, observou-se que a TPP tem efeito direto sobre urediniósporos de P. pachyrhizi, inibindo a germinação em 61%. A TPP reduziu a severidade da doença em folha destacada, mas não em plantas em condições de casa de vegetação. A TPP também aumentou a atividade de peroxidase e alterou o acúmulo de fenóis ligados. Em condições de campo, apenas o tratamento com fungicidas reduziu a severidade da doença. Nenhum dos tratamentos utilizados afetou a germinação e o vigor das sementes produzidas. A TPP foi capaz de alterar a expressão gênica e regular positivamente o gene ACC, envolvido na síntese do etileno. Conclui-se que a TPP apresenta, além de efeito direto sobre o patógeno, potencial para alterar compostos e a expressão de genes relacionados as vias de defesa das plantas. / Asian soybean rust is the most important disease of the crop today and since its inception has caused several damages. Due to its importance, it is necessary to look for alternatives that can contribute to the traditional management with fungicides. In this sense, induction of resistance appears as a promising alternative for the control of diseases. Among the resistance inducers, phytotoxins have the potential as plant activators and in this case, more specifically thaxtomin, produced by Streptomyces scabies. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of the partially purified phytotoxin thaxtomin (TPP) and preparation of Streptomyces scabies as potential inducers of resistance in soybean to Phakopsora pachyrhizi. For this, tests were carried out to evaluate the direct effect of potential resistance inducers on the germination of urediniospores through the test of microdrops on polystyrene Petri dishes. Detached leaf assay also carried out, where the potential inducers were applied and after a certain time the inoculation with P. pachyrhizi was done, being evaluated the potential of the compounds in reducing the severity. Greenhouse tests were also carried out with soybean plants that received the application of the inducers and later inoculated, where the reduction of severity was evaluated. Greenhouse experiments were also carried out for the collection of samples for biochemical analyzes such as peroxidase and phenolic compounds, aiming to monitor the activity and the accumulation of compounds related to plant defense to pathogens. In addition, preliminary field trials were carried out to verify the potential of the inducers in reducing the severity of soybean rust, where the productivity and physiological quality of the seeds were also evaluated. Expression of genes related to the defense pathways as a response to thaxtomin application was also monitored. As results, it was observed that the partially purified thaxtomin had a direct effect on P. pachyrhizi uredinospores, inhibiting germination by 61%. In addition, it was also able to reduce the severity in detached leaves but not in seedlings under greenhouse conditions. Partially purified thaxtomin was also able to increase peroxidase activity and alter the accumulation of bound phenols. At field conditions, only the treatment that used fungicides was able to reduce the severity of the disease. However, although only one of the treatments reduced the disease, none of the treatments used was able to affect the germination and vigor of the seeds produced. Finally, the partially purified thaxtomin was able to alter gene expression and positively regulate the ACC gene, that is involved in ethylene metabolism. In general, it is concluded that TPP has, in addition to a direct effect on the pathogen, potential to alter plant defense related compounds and the expression of genes related to defense pathways.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-07-28Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:07:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gazola_e_me_botfca.pdf: 515907 bytes, checksum: 147c1f8c1d57f0773041fffb27a91fd1 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho de cultivares transgênicas de soja (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) em sucessão a culturas de inverno na implantação do sistema de semeadura direta. O experimento foi conduzido na área experimental do Departamento de Produção Vegetal, na Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas/UNESP, Campus de Botucatu-SP, durante o ano agrícola 2006/07. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos casualizados, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com quatro repetições. As parcelas foram representadas por cinco espécies cultivadas no inverno, aveia branca (Avena sativa L.), nabo forrageiro (Raphanus sativus L.), cevada (Hordeum vulgare L.), trigo (Triticum aestivum L.) e ervilha forrageira (Pisum sativum L.) e área de pousio (vegetação espontânea). As subparcelas foram constituídas por seis cultivares de soja (BRS 243 RR, BRS 245 RR, BRS 247 RR, BRS 255 RR, BRS 256 RR e BRS 244 RR), cedidas pela Embrapa SNT-EN.LDB, totalizando 36 tratamentos. Foram avaliadas, nas espécies de inverno, a massa da matéria seca da parte aérea e a produtividade de grãos, enquanto na soja as características agronômicas como florescimento, ciclo, alturas de plantas e de inserção da primeira vagem, população final de plantas, grau de acamamento, número de vagens chochas, número de nódulos por planta, massa da matéria seca dos nódulos por planta, além dos componentes da produção número de vagens por planta, número de grãos por vagem, massa de 100 grãos e a produtividade. Foi avaliado, também, o teor foliar dos macronutrientes N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S das plantas de soja por meio da diagnose foliar.A cevada, entre as culturas de inverno, foi a que apresentou os maiores valores de produtividade de grãos e de massa de matéria seca, não diferindo, na ultima avaliação da aveia, da ervilha forrageira e do nabo forrageiro. As características... / The objective of this research was to evaluate crop yield and some characteristics and yield components of transgenic soybean cultivars sown after different winter cover crops in the first year under no tillage system. The present work was carried out on the experimental area of the “Departamento de Ciências Agronômicas”, “Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas/UNESP”, Botucatu-SP, in 2006/2007, as a partnership with Embrapa SNT – EN.LDB (Embrapa serviços de negócios para transferência de tecnologia – Escritório de negócios de Londrina). The experimental design was the completely randomized block with split plots and four replications. The main plots consisted of five winter cover crops, white oat (Avena sativa L.), forage turnip (Raphanus sativus L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and ground pea (Pisum sativum L.) and an area under fallow (spontaneous vegetation). The subplots consisted of six soybean cultivars (BRS 243 RR, BRS 245 RR, BRS 247 RR, BRS 255 RR, BRS 256 RR and BRS 244 RR) which were granted by Embrapa SNT-EN.LDB, totaling 36 treatments. Shoot dry matter and grain yield were evaluated for each winter crop. While the experiment had been carried out, some soybean agronomic characteristics were evaluated like flowering, cycle, first pod insertion and plant height, final population, bending, number of nodes per plant, nodes dry matter per plant and grain yield. Yield components, weight of 100 grains, number of pods and aborted grains per plant and grains per pod were evaluated. N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S levels in soybean tissue werealso evaluated through foliar diagnosis. Among all winter crops evaluated, barley was the one that showed higher values for grain yield and dry matter, however, it did not differ from oat, ground pea and forage turnip in the last evaluation. Variance analysis for agronomic characteristics... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Thesis (M.Sc. (Biochemistry)) -- University of Limpopo, 2011 / Soybean is one of the most cultivated legume plants in developing countries. Nodule senescence is a major limitation in producing high yields of soybean as it coincides with the pod filling stage. Delaying nodule senescence could be a way of increasing the yield of soybean therefore determination of the role of cysteine protease in soybean is of vital importance. In this study, soybean plants were grown under controlled temperature and light conditions. Leaves and root crown nodules were collected at 4, 6, 10, 12 and 16 weeks of age. In a comparative 1-dimensional SDS-PAGE analysis of soybean nodule proteomes as the plant matured, it showed differences in proteins expressed as shown by different banding patterns with less variation between the younger soybean nodule extracts (4, 6 and 10 weeks old) as compared to the older ones (12 and 16 weeks old). As determined by azocasein assay and protease zymography, the protease activity of the nodule extracts generally decreased with an increase in the age of the nodules whereas that of the leaves increased as the plants grew older. Cysteine proteases in the soybean nodule extracts readily cleaved the Z-Arg-Arg-AMC substrate with the highest activity shown in the younger nodules as compared to the older ones. In the leaf extracts, cysteine protease activity increased with age of the leaves. DCG-04, a biotinylated irreversible inhibitor, proved to be an effective label in profiling of activity of cysteine proteases in 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional systems. The labelling was inhibited specifically by cysteine protease inhibitor, E-64. In root nodules, the DCG-04 probing demonstrated that the expression of cysteine proteases is higher in early stages of development of the soybean nodules as compared to the later stages whereas in the leaves, there is higher expression of cysteine proteases in the old leaves (16 weeks). Using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, five cysteine protease isoforms were visualised with the size ranging from approximately 25 to 30 kDa and a pI range of 4-6. In older nodules (12 and 16 weeks old) the higher pI isoforms are down-regulated with the 26 kDa and pI 4.5 protease being the predominant isoform. Affinity precipitation of the cysteine proteases yielded a strong band with the size of about 26 kDa. All assays used show that while in leaves, the expected trend of high expression of cysteine proteases in senescing leaves is observed, in soybean nodules the expression of cysteine proteases decreases with senescence. There is, therefore, no correlation between senescence and cysteine proteases in nodules. The highly expressed cysteine protease in young nodules could play a developmental or regulatory role during the early stages of development.

Relatively little change in national soybean (Glycine max) yield over the previous years have led many farmers to creating management regimes focused on plant stress. Field experiments consisting of two different relative maturity (2.8RM and 4.5 RM) soybean cultivars were established at three locations across Kentucky in 2013 and 2014. Each maturity group received a single application, sequential applications, or a combination of the following treatments: N’N-diformyl urea, lactofen, lambda-cyhalothrin with thiamethoxam, and azoxystrobin with propiconazole. Relative maturity and yield environment*treatment interactions were observed to be significant (p 0≤.05). 4.5 RM soybean cultivars yielded significantly greater (800 kg ha-1) than 2.8 RM cultivars. Compared to the untreated check, no treatment in the yield environment*treatment interaction significantly increased yield. Significant yield decrease varied across yield environment, but was observed for treatments containing a combination of lactofen and N’N-diformyl urea. Application of stress management practices was not a consistent approach to improving soybean yield.

In the soybean nitrogen fixing symbiosis, suboptimal root zone temperatures (RZTs) inhibit the inception and development of nodules, leading to reduced nitrogen fixation and soybean yield. The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the effects of selected with potential low temperature tolerant strains, originating from the northern areas of the USA, and mutants made from Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110, on soybean nodulation, nitrogen fixation and yield in a short season area with cool spring conditions. Among the 40 B. japonicum strains evaluated, only USDA 30, USDA 31, 532 C and USDA 110 grew well at 15°C. USDA 30 and USDA 31 grew better than 532 C and USDA 110 at 15°C. Mutants Bj 30050--Bj 30059 could not produce lipo-chito-oligosaccharide (LCO) at measurable levels in the absence of genistein. All mutants produced more LCOs than 532 C and USDA 110 at the same temperature and genistein concentration. Temperature and genistein concentration did not affect LCO production dynamics for the following: mutant Bj 30055, 532 C and USDA 110. Both mutant production and identification of low temperature tolerant strains achieved the general objective of improved soybean nitrogen fixation in a cool climate. Inoculation with low temperature tolerant strains (USDA 30, USDA31), or mutants (Bj 30055 and Bj 30058) improved soybean development (increases in leaf area and shoot nitrogen content), nodulation (increases in nodule number and nodule weight), nitrogen fixation and yield relative to inoculation with B. japonicum strain 532 C, the strain currently included in most Canadian soybean inocula.