** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WHILE SOYBEAN IS THE RICHEST AND LEAST EXPENSIVE SOURCE OF PLANT-BASED PROTEIN, IT HAS SEVERAL SEED COMPOUNDS THAT AFFECT ANIMAL NUTRIENT DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION. THE MAIN ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS ARE TRYPSIN INHIBITORS (TI) AND LECTINS (LEC). THE TEAM HAS MADE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON THESE ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS SUCH AS PHENOTYPING, GENE DISCOVERY, MUTANT DEVELOPMENT AND GENE EDITING. THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED TO CONTINUE THE RESEARCH EFFORT TO DEVELOP IMPROVED, COMMERCIALLY VIABLE SOYBEAN CULTIVARS WITH A COMBINATION OF LOW TI AND LEC. LEAVING THIS NEED UNMET WILL LIKELY RESULT IN AN INABILITY TO IMPROVE ANIMAL FEED EFFICIENCY AND DECREASE ENERGY USE IN MEAL PROCESSING.THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DEVELOP AND RELEASE SOYBEAN VARIETIES AND GERMPLASMS WITH REDUCED OR REMOVED ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS WITH THE FOCUS ON TI AND LEC. OUR OVERALL OBJECTIVE IN THIS APPLICATION IS TO DEVELOP SOYBEAN GENOTYPES THAT HAVE BOTH LOW KTI AND LEC BY INTEGRATING TILLING BY SEQUENCING, GENE EDITING BY CRISPR/CAS9, MARKER-ASSISTED SELECTION, AND CLASSICAL BREEDING METHODOLOGIES. OUR EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE NEW GENETIC RESOURCES WITH REDUCED OR REMOVED ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS THAT WILL BE LATER OFFERED TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC BREEDING PROGRAMS AS PARENTAL LINES TO DEVELOP SOYBEAN CULTIVARS TO IMPROVE LIVESTOCK NUTRITION IN THE U.S. THESE OUTCOMES ARE THUS EXPECTED TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT BY PROVIDING SOYBEAN MEAL PROCESSORS AND SOYBEAN GROWERS WITH INNOVATIVE COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS CONTAINING LOW ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE THE FEED EFFICIENCY OF SOYBEAN MEAL FOR ENHANCED LIVESTOCK MEAT PRODUCTION IN THE US.