Registration of N98–4445A Mid‐Oleic Soybean Germplasm Line

Soyabean (Glycine max) germplasm line N98-4445A, which originated as an F5 single plant selection from the three-way cross N94-2473 × (N93-2007-4 × N92-3907), was developed and released in 2002 by the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. N78-4445A has group IV maturity, indeterminate growth habit, white flowers and tawny pubescences. Seeds are shiny yellow with brown hila. N98-4445A has moderate levels of resistance to Soyabean mosaic virus. This line has a concentration of oleic acid in the seed oil that is approximately 550 g/kg, which is 340-380 g/kg greater than commercial soyabean cultivars and 47 g/kg more than the highest oleic acid concentration available in US germplasm collection. The germplasm will be a useful genetic resource for breeding mid-oleic soyabean cultivars, i.e. those with oleic acid concentrations between 400 and 700 g/kg. Increased oleic acid in this line causes a correlated decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acids, giving the added advantage of linolenic acid concentrations less than 30 g/kg.