The Legume Generation plan for boosting the breeding of soybean
Soybean (Glycine max) is a key European protein crop for food and feed. Its competitiveness depends on locally adapted varieties with high yield, stress tolerance, and improved seed quality. The Soybean Innovation Community within the Legume Generation project brings together 15 partners across Europe (research institutes, universities, private breeders) to accelerate soybean breeding through joint research, field trials, and technology transfer. This report outlines strategies to strengthen breeding. The community builds on the European Soybean Improvement Network and integrates programmes from France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and others. Eight partners are directly involved in breeding. The aim is to develop competitive varieties adapted to European climate variability, including drought, heat, and fluctuating temperatures.
Multi-location field trials at more than 10 sites test around 135 genotypes in maturity group-specific yield trials and 70 genotypes in food-grade trials. The results provide direct guidance for breeders on variety selection, parental choice, and regional adaptation strategies. Key traits include yield stability, early maturity, stress tolerance, and protein quality, improving recommendations for farmers.
A shared genotyping platform (~5000 markers) enables marker-assisted and genomic selection, increasing breeding efficiency and speeding up identification of superior lines adapted to European environments.
Key outputs include (i) improved decision support for breeders via harmonised data, (ii) better adapted varieties for farmers, and (iii) food-grade cultivars for plant-based protein systems. Digital phenotyping and high-throughput tools further improve selection and integration into breeding pipelines.
Overall, the community strengthens links between research and practice, accelerating delivery of improved soybean cultivars and supporting European protein self-sufficiency and sustainable farming systems.
Legume Generation - Boosting innovation in breeding for the next generation of legume crops for Europe
Ongoing | 2023-2028
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Czechia, Netherlands, France, United Kingdom, New Zealand