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Abstract

An improved process is provided for forming seeds capable of yielding F.sub.1 hybrid soybean plants (i.e., hybrid soybean plants of the first filial generation) or maintaining male sterile soybean plants useful in the production of male fertile F.sub.1 hybrid soybean plants. Male sterile soybean plants (i.e., seed parents) and the male fertile soybean plants (i.e., pollen parents) are caused to undergo cross-pollination with the aid of pollen-carrying bees under conditions wherein pollen transport from the male parents to the female parents is significantly increased. Such pollen transfer is enhanced by growing the parent soybean plants at a location where natural rainfall is limited when soybean flowering occurs during the summer, applyng water via irrigation as required to promote normal plant growth up to at least the time of the onset of flower formation, and withholding irrigation water at the appropriate time to induce enhanced nectar flow within the soybean flowers and render the soybean flowers highly attractive to bees. In accordance with the concept of the present invention the pollen-carrying bees (e.g., honeybees) which are strongly attracted to the enhanced nectar flow within the soybean flowers concomitantly facilitate a high level of cross-pollination and seeds are formed on the male sterile soybean plants which ultimately are harvested.

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First Claim