Oldham soybean variety is a transgenic nanotechnological variety developed jointly by the Canadian holding SERTIS HOLDING S. A. and the American chemical company DOW Chemikal. This variety is characterized by high drought resistance and adaptation to harsh climatic conditions, as confirmed by successful hybrid trials in various countries, including Russia, Israel, China, Kazakhstan, Argentina, and others. Oldham features a strong upright stem up to 1.4 meters tall and a well-developed taproot system penetrating the soil to a depth of 350 cm, providing the plant with resistance to drought and temperature fluctuations.
The pods of this variety are large, up to 12-13 cm in length, containing 6-8 oval seeds with a dense, shiny, and waterproof seed coat. Each plant can produce up to 250-600 pods resistant to cracking. The attachment height of lower pods is approximately 13 cm, and the number of pods per node reaches 14. Leaves are trifoliate, flowers have purple petals with black-and-white veining. Seeds have high plant protein content, reaching 40% of the mass, as well as significant oil content (54-55%), making this variety high-oil and nutritious.
Oldham exhibits high resistance to a wide spectrum of diseases and pests due to the introduction of Bt genes and other modifications. It is resistant to diseases such as fusarium, cercosporosis, powdery mildew, rust, ascochitosis, as well as viral infections and bacterial diseases. Additionally, genetic modifications provide protection against harmful insects, including the corn borer, Japanese beetle, and pea weevil, through the secretion of Bt endotoxins, which are safe for humans and warm-blooded animals. Oldham soybean exhibits uniform maturity, resistance to lodging and shattering, allowing for direct harvest without the need for desiccation. A mid-season variety with a vegetative period of 90-110 days and a potential yield of up to 60 centners per hectare, suitable for cultivation in various regions, including Ukraine.
