Registration of ‘Carver’ Soybean

'Carver' soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (Reg. no. CV-335, P1584506) was developed by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. It was released in 1994 because of its high yield potential and multiple pest resistance. Prior to release Carver was designated Au87-547. Carver originated as an F5 single-plant selection from the cross J80-293 x N81-1756. J80-293 is a selection from the cross J77-39 [same parentage as 'Bedford' (3)] x 'Centennial' (2). N81-1756 is a selection from the cross 'Ransom' x N772703 (1). N77-2703 is a selection from YC3, a population developed by three cycles of recurrent selection for yield at North Carolina State University (6). The population was advanced by single-seed descent to the F5 generation in Belize and Alabama. Carver was tested in the Uniform Soybean Tests, Southern States, from 1990 through 1993 (5) and in Alabama tests from 1989 through 1993. Carver is Maturity Group VII, averaging « 2 d earlier than 'Stonewall' (7), and is adapted from approximately 30° to 35° N lat. Carver has determinate stem termination, white flowers, light tawny pubescence, and tan pod walls. Seeds are yellow, with black hila and dull seed coats. Seed quality score is equal to Stonewall; seed size is 19 mg less, oil content is 10 g kg~' less, and protein content is 6 g kg" more than Stonewall. Plant height is =5 cm shorter than Stonewall, and lodging score for Carver is 1.5, compared with 1.8 for Stonewall. Carver is resistant to Races 3 and 14 of the soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe), resistant to southern root-knot nematode [Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood], and resistant to peanut root-knot nematode [M. arenaria (Neal) Chitwood]. Carver also is resistant to frogeye leafspot (caused by Cercospora sojina K. Hara). Carver is moderately susceptible to stem canker [caused by Diaporthe phaseolorum (Cooke & Ellis) Sacc. f. sp. meridionalis Morgan-Jones]. In the Uniform Soybean Tests, Carver yielded 3 % less than Stonewall. In Alabama State Variety Tests, Carver yielded 7 % more than Stonewall. In a nematode-infested farmer's field in Baldwin County, Alabama, Carver yielded 172% more than Stonewall and 62% more than 'Leflore' (4), a nematode-resistant check. The South Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station participated in the release of Carver. Application for U.S. plant variety protection has not been made for Carver. Breeder seed will be maintained by the Alabama Agric. Exp. Stn. A small sample of Carver seed will be available for at least 5 yr upon written request to the corresponding author.