Soybean Seed Composition Improvement Through Molecular Breeding.

Nearly 75% of soymeal produced is utilized in animal feeds for poultry, swine, and petfood.  Soymeal contains many anti-nutritional factors that sequester metabolic energy and prevent efficient weight gain.  Raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) are not digestible by monogastric animals due to their lack of alpha-galactosidase enzyme activity. Lectin binds amino acids in animal guts and prevents their uptake.  Investigation into the molecular genetic basis of soybean lines with an ultra-low RFO phenotype has enabled the development of molecular marker assays for this ultra-low RFO and low lectin traits.  These assays are currently being used by plant breeders in both the public and private sectors to breed soybeans that are more nutritional and contain higher metabolizable energy for use in animal feeds.