March 22, 2001

NDSU Releases Walsh and Sargent Soybean Varieties

The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at North Dakota State University is releasing two new soybean varieties, Walsh and Sargent.

Both varieties carry a gene which confers resistance to races 1 through 4 of phytopthora root rot. The varieties are named for counties in eastern North Dakota

Walsh is similar in maturity to NDSU soybean variety Traill and matures about six days earlier than Council, another NDSU variety, according to Ted Helms, the NDSU soybean breeder. In tests, Walsh showed a four bushel per acre increase over Traill and matured one day later. Lodging and reaction to iron chlorosis was about equal to the NDSU soybean variety Barnes. Seed size is similar to Traill and Lambert.

Sargent is a later-maturing variety, probably best adapted south of Interstate 94, Helms says. In tests in North Dakota and western Minnesota, Sargent was equal in maturity to South Dakota State University soybean variety Surge and yielded slightly more. Sargent yielded almost nine bushels per acre more than Lambert and about one bushel per acre more than Pioneer 9092. Lodging resistance of Sargent is similar to Lambert. Seed size is slightly smaller than Surge.

Al Schneiter, chairman of the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences says Walsh is expected to replace plantings of Traill and Sargent is likely to replace plantings of Lambert. Seed of the two varieties will be provided to local county crop improvement associations. The NDSU Research Foundation is seeking plant variety protection for both varieties.

The development of the varieties is the result of cooperative efforts between the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and the North Dakota Soybean Council.

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Source: Ted Helms, (701) 231-8136, ted_helms@ndsu.nodak.edu 
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu