The next step of the research is determining whether this soybean will produce economically viable yields in different environments. Soybeans are grown in nearly every climate in the middle of the country. Preliminary results look promising.

"One of the nice things about this trait of producing oil that is high in oleic acid is that it appears to be very stable," Shannon said. "If you grow the plant in northern Missouri, you typically have 70 percent to 80 percent oleic acid in the soybean's oil. In southern Missouri, the oil is consistently 80 percent oleic acid. Before our work, we saw a lot of variation in the amount of oleic acid that was produced based on the environment."

A byproduct from the study is that this soybean oil not only has health benefits but also can be attractive to the biodiesel market, according to Bilyeu. The high amount of oleic acid gives the soybean oil certain characteristics that make it good for biodiesel. The study is being published in BMC Plant Biology.

Source: University of Missouri-Columbia