COLUMBIA, Mo. – Tight crop profits cause farmers to plant more soybean acres. On April 4, growers can learn latest research at a soybean symposium in Columbia.

“Plant breeding progress leads to more beans at lower cost,” says Bill Wiebold, University of Missouri soybean specialist and director of the Missouri Soybean Center. “Genetics plays a bigger role in progress.”

A new USDA planting intentions report shows U.S. soybean acres top corn acreage for the first time in 35 years. Soybeans have proven to be top crop income source in Missouri.

The program includes more than genetics, Wiebold adds. Weather impact will be included. Pat Guinan, MU Extension climatologist, will tell of the state’s changing climate. He’ll be backed up by Dennis Todey, director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub.

Cutting high-temperature stress on bean seed quality will be told by James Smith, USDA geneticist.

Genetics also plays a role in control of soybean rust. Kerry Pedley of the USDA foreign disease unit will tell how.

Missouri soybean problems will be told by John Kelley, farmer from Faucett, Mo. He is chair of the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council.

Farmers get a look ahead at MU research during a poster session. At noon, researchers will show their work.

The annual Poehlman Lecture caps the program with Nandini Krishnamurthy from DuPont Pioneer. She will tell of a CRISPR genetic tool. That gives pinpoint changes in the bean genome.

The program will be at the Bond Life Sciences Center on the MU campus.

A reception opens at 8 a.m. Welcome talks are at 8:45. The program ends with conversation with speakers at 4:30 p.m.

The program is free with online signup at soybeancenter.missouri.edu/symposium.

Sponsors are Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council and MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.