VIPS: Detailed Information on Soybean Varieties

Scientist: Phil Orwick, National Soybean Research Center, Urbana, 217-244-1706, nsrl@uiuc.edu Source: Rob Wystra, College of Aces/ITCS Urbana, 217-244-2614 wynstra@uiuc.edu

An upgraded tool for analyzing the performance of soybean varieties is now available on the worldwide web at. The Varietal Information Program for Soybeans (VIPS) at website http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vips contains detailed information on more than 2,000 different soybean varieties grown in Illinois and Iowa. In most cases, more than 30 different compositional attributes are listed for each variety.

"Users of this program can readily identify the trial locations where varieties of particular interest were planted and compare their trial outcomes," Orwick said. "VIPS also provides data on disease resistance for white mold, soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS), soybean cyst nematode (SCN), rhizoctonia root rot, and seed mottling is available for many varieties." The recent upgrade has also added soybean varietal data from the Iowa Crop Performance Tests.

An additional component of VIPS is designed for users interested in an in-depth analysis of soybean composition. Data from VIPS composition provides information on 31 end-use attributes of soybean composition. The database covers more than 2,000 different varieties. VIPS composition includes data for protein, fatty acids, amino acids, and isoflavones, as well as numerous other attributes.

Users can access the data by clicking on the VIPS composition link on the main VIPS homepage. There is no charge for accessing this information. All that is required is a simple, one-time registration process to obtain a user name and password.

"Once the registration form is submitted, users receive a confirmation by e-mail with the chosen user name and password," Orwick said. "They can then access the database immediately. A brief tour of VIPS composition is available on the website by clicking on ‘Introduction to VIPS composition Capabilities.' Together with the information on the main database, this new component provides an invaluable tool for deciding what to expect from a particular soybean variety and for selecting varieties in the following planting season."