How to make soybean crosses

When, Where and What you need

•Crossing is always done in the morning•Have a crossing plan•Controlled environment (screen house or glass house)•Essential tools: magnifying lenses and forceps•Clean forceps with alcohol in between different crosses •Good skills and steady hands

How to make soybean crosses

Female plant Male plant

Collect freshly opened flower from the male parent plant

Select an unopened flower bud on the female plant with the petals just showing above the sepals

Remove all other flowers and buds at the node

Remove the sepals

Gently remove the petals by lifting them with the forceps thus expose the anther

Tease the anthers out with the tip of the forceps being careful not to damage the stigma

Hold the flower to be used as a male and remove the sepals

Touch the anthers of the flower to the stigma of the emasculated flower

The tag must include a description of the cross (female and male pedigree).It should also include the date and the crosser’s initials.

Attach a tag to the stem at the node where the cross was made