With the exception of a handful of food-grade/conventional soybeans, Roundup Ready varieties top the list of new selections for the 2003 planting season.

The following information, from breeders and agronomists at universities, USDA-ARS and private companies, highlights the top four offerings each has to offer. But there’s a lot of ground left to be covered. Talk with your seed company representatives and check out the latest yield trial data in your location before pulling your wallet out of your pocket.

The following pureline variety choices are divided by maturity group, moving from early to mid- to late maturities within each group. Note that all the varieties listed are Roundup Ready except, of course, those boxed in and labeled as conventional. A very few are also STS-resistant, but that will be identified.

A number of diseases mentioned are listed by abbreviation. They are: phytophthora root rot (PRR), soybean cyst nematode (SCN), sudden death syndrome (SDS), sclerotina white mold (SWM) and brown stem rot (BSR). Iron deficiency chlorosis is shorted to IDC. Note, too, that protein and oil data are based at 13% moisture.