2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Identification and utilization of exotic germplasm to improve soybean productivity. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) This project will make crosses and develop populations utilizing exotic germplasm and experimental lines derived from exotic germplasm as parents, test experimental lines and populations derived from exotic germplasm in maturity groups III, IV and V, and exploit new genetic technology to develop high yielding experimental lines and accelerate the rate of yield improvement in the U.S. soybean cultivars. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and the University of Maryland. Additional details may be found under the parent project 3611-21000-018-00D, Soybean Genetic Resources Management and Utilization. For the 2006 USB Diversity Tests, six lines were entered in the Maturity Group IV test and four lines were entered in the Maturity Group V test. These entries have pedigrees that contain between 13 and 50% exotic germplasm. Two of the maturity group IV lines having 13 and 37% exotic germplasm exceeded the yield of the check varieties by over 330 kg/ha. One of the maturity group V lines having 25% exotic germplasm was within 130 kg/ha of the average yield of the check varieties. Nineteen lines derived from exotic germplasm were grown in the Mid-Atlantic regional tests at three locations. The yields of sixteen of the lines with 13 to 37% exotic germplasm were between 90 and 110% of the average yield of the standard cultivars in the tests. Activities of this project are monitored through quarterly reports, an annual planning meeting, and periodic phone calls and e-mails.