soybeans

1. How to make soybean crosses

2. 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

3. How to make soybean crosses

4. Female plant Male plant

5. Collect freshly opened flower from the male parent plant

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

7. Remove all other flowers and buds at the node

8. Remove the sepals

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

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

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

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

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

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