New soybean helps sugar industry

A new soybean variety suited to the Fraser coast region of Queensland, just north of Brisbane, has just been released.

The new variety, named 'Fraser', will be used mainly as a rotation crop by sugar cane growers.

Fraser matures about the same time as existing varieties but has higher grain yields and higher biomass production, making it ideal as a rotation crop for sugarcane. Sugarcane planted after soybean harvest are healthier and take advantage of nitrogen released from the breakdown of soybean biomass.

Developed by Dr Andrew James and his team at CSIRO Plant Industry in Brisbane with the Queensland Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, Fraser has excellent grain quality with high protein content and a clear hilum, an important characteristic for the profitable human culinary market.

Fraser is also suitable for the feed and oilseed crushing markets.

Resistant to bacterial blight, bacterial pustule and phytophthora root rot, Fraser's overall performance was rated very highly during trials. At the pre-release field day, the 85 farmers attending requested the new variety be released as soon as possible.

Developed with the support of the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the Sugar Research and Development Corporation, Fraser is being marketed by the Northern Australia Soybean Industry Association under its commercial arm, SoyNorth.

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