2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): Develop and deploy a molecular model for soybean flowering time and maturity that can be utilized to more efficiently develop higher yielding soybean germplasm with improved seed composition traits for multiple production environments. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): Soybean maturity will be modeled with molecular genetic data for the three E gene loci and corresponding phenotypic data. Soybean lines will be developed and evaluated for yield utilizing the molecular markers targeting maturity groups I, III, and V. Soybean lines with maturity groups I, III, and V will also be developed that contain the high oleic acid seed oil or low phytate seed meal traits by utilizing a straight cross molecular marker-assisted approach to converge appropriate maturity and seed composition traits. 3.Progress Report: This project began April 1, 2012. To initiate the project, putative parental lines were screened for their E gene alleles, and a subset of those lines were selected as parents for the first year of genetics and population building experiments. Cross-pollinations were attempted, but severe weather conditions of heat and drought have negatively impacted seed set.