2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): Increase soybean yield in MG-II to IV by incorporating high-yield genes from diverse introduced soybean lines. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): The objective will be achieved by making crosses with 25% or higher plant introduction pedigrees to elite soybean lines from northeastern USA. The breeding lines will be advanced and tested against high yield checks. High performing lines will be released as germplasm or cultivars. Conventional and molecular assisted breeding will be used. 3.Progress Report: 40 advanced MG II-III breeding lines F4:7 lines with 25% PI pedigrees from two Ohio x Georgia (G00-3213) were tested in replicated yield plots in 2010 and 2011 in four environments. Five conventional soybean breeding lines from these crosses with 105-110% yield of the check cultivars across environments have been entered into the Northern Regional Preliminary Tests for 2012 (MG II and III). These lines will also be tested in Ohio again in 2012 at multiple locations. Five lines with >100% yields of the check varieties were planted in the Northern Regional Preliminary tests and at four locations in Ohio. 200 yield plots from F5-derived line selected in Ohio from Illinois ARS scientist’s early generation breeding lines with >25% exotic pedigree were tested in replicated plots in 2011. Lines with >100% yield of the check cultivars will be grown in advanced tests at multiple locations in Ohio. More than 20 lines with >95% yields of the check cultivars were planted in four locations in Ohio. Nearly 100 soybean lines derived from G. soja by the Illinois ARS scientist were grown in a two replicate yield trial in Wooster. The plots were harvested to collect seed yield and other agronomic data in November and the data was sent to the Illinois ARS Unit/scientist. The soja derived lines were planted in Wooster for the second year in two replicates. More than 5000 F5 seeds from 10 cross combinations with high-yielding Ohio lines (MG II-III) and high yielding breeding lines with >25% PIs from University of Missouri, Columbia, University of Arkansas, USDA-ARS in Illinois, and University of Minnesota have been planted for selection of single plants in 2012. Nearly 5000 single plants were harvested in November and these will be grown as single rows in 2012. More than 4000 plant rows were planted. F2, F3 and F4 seeds from 10 more crosses (more than 15,000 seeds) were advanced in Puerto Rico and seeds were received back in May and have been recently planted in Wooster for advancing another generation. Increasing the yield of soybean is the most important aspect of any soybean breeding program. Thus, this project advances on objective 2A (Develop soybean aphid resistant germplasm/cultivars adapted to northeastern Midwest) and objective 4 (Develop soybean germplasm with high seed-protein content) of the parent project.