Public soybean varieties, developed and released by University and USDA-ARS research programs, are the  result of years of research and testing.  Plant breeders work with other specialist, not just to release another variety, but to enhance crop production by developing varieties that  fit into an intensely managed crop production scheme.  Selected from thousands of experimental lines, only those distinctly superior to existing commercial varieties in one or more characteristics are released.  All selections are evaluated on the basis of area of adaptation, yield potential, pest resistance, standability and other agronomic traits important to successful crop production.

    Selecting the right soybean variety is the most important production decision farmers make each year. With today's agricultural conditions (low commodity prices and higher costs of production) it is essential that farmers  be efficient in order to make a profit.  The choice of variety best suited for your particular location and operation can result in a significant yield increase before any other management practices are implemented.  Poor choices can mean disaster.

    Deciding on the best varieties involves looking at all characteristics contributing to varietal performance.  These include yield potential, disease resistance, planting date, maturity, lodging resistance, drought tolerance, resistance/tolerance to nematodes, and other agronomic factors.  Rarely is there one variety perfect for all fields. so it is useful to select more than one variety in order to take advantage of different varietal traits and characteristics.  Public varieties offer a wide selection from which to choose a winning combination.

    A vital part of successful soybean production is using high-quality seed. Seed is one area where you cannot sacrifice quality for a cheaper product,  University tests have shown that professionally grown certified seed almost always out-yields farmer saved seed.  Public varieties are produced and marketed by local  seedsmen. Seed Certification  is a program of plannned production, records, unbiased inspections, and rigid standards imposed on seed production.  The blue Certified tag identifies known varieties from public or private research programs.  It's your guarantee of varietal purity which ensures predictable performance.  Certified seed meets high standards for germination and freedom from weed seeds and crop mixtures.  For more information on seed certification, contact Fertilizer and Seed Certification Department, Clemson University.

The soybean breeding program is led by Emerson R. Shipe, Dept. of Crop and Soil Environmental Science, Clemson University. The breeding program is a multi-disciplinary, cooperative effort involving several research programs. Breeding nurseries are grown annually at three S.C. locations: Clemson (Simpson Experiment Station and Calhoun Fields), Florence (Pee Dee REC), and Blackville (Edisto REC). Elite S.C. lines are evaluated each year in USDA Regional Nurseries grown in several Southern states and in official state variety trials.  See http://www.clemson.edu/agronomy/VT site for results of SC official variety performance tests.

Funding is provided by the South Carolina Agriculture and Forestry Research System and through grants from the South Carolina Soybean Board (Check-off funds). Funds provided by this grant  supply a portion of the operating funds required for the winter nursery project, supplies, travel, small equipment purchases, and part-time labor. Funding provided by the South Carolina Soybean Board is vital to the on-going soybean breeding effort and future success of the program.

Development of higher yielding, pest resistant soybean cultivars is essential to improving production efficiency in the southeastern U.S.A. The soybean breeding research program at Clemson University has developed and released six cultivars in the past eleven years. Four of the cultivars have been used as check ("benchmark") cultivars in the USDA Regional Nurseries grown in all southern states.

The following cultivars were developed and released by Clemson University. .

• Late maturing Group VI
• Named for Dr. Harold Musen, retired agronomist, Clemson University
• Widely adapted to a wide range of soils and planting situations
• Resistant to southern root-knot nematode and Races 3 & 4 soybean cyst nematodes
• US Plant Variety Protection

DILLON

HAGOOD

• Late maturing Group VII
• Well-suited to both full-season and doublecrop plantings
• Resistant to southern root-knot and Race 3 soybean cyst nematodes
• Good tolerance to lance nematode
• Set state record yield (78 bushels/ac) in 1994 in Spartanburg County
• Topped the ’98 Irrigated UGA Variety Test at Tifton with 58 bushels/ac
• Excellent protein content

• Mid-Group VIII variety
• Especially suited to doublecropping
• Resistant to southern root-knot nematode and Race 3 soybean cyst nematodes
• Good tolerance to lance nematode
• Resistant to bacterial pustule and powdery mildew
• US Plant Variety Protection