Arkansas soybean producers will have three new public varieties to choose from in the next two years. Seed of the new varieties is being increased in the University of Arkansas' Foundation Seed Program.

UARK 5896, released by the UofA, has one of the strongest disease resistance packages available and has been a top yielder in most Arkansas environments. Certified seed will be available in 1998.

Dr. Clay Sneller, who heads the UofA soybean breeding program, says the new variety is resistant to phytophthora root rot, stem canker and soybean cyst nematode race 3. It has moderate resistance to sudden death syndrome, or SDS, and frogeye leaf spot.

UARK-5896 has had consistently higher yields than most other varieties in environments with one or more growth-limiting conditions such as no irrigation, late planting, heavy clay or compacted soils. Growth-limiting conditions are found on about 95 percent of the state's soybean acreage, Sneller said.

In tests on the best soils under ideal conditions, other high-yielding varieties usually topped this new entry.

UARK-5896 was developed from a cross of the UA varieties Lloyd and Narow. It is medium-tall, about 7 inches taller than Hutcheson, with good lodging resistance for its height. It is in maturity group V, maturing about four days later than Hutcheson.

Certified seed of Dillon will be available in 1997. It is a high-yielding, mid-maturity group VI variety that is susceptible to soybean cyst nematode damage but has moderate resistance to stem canker. It was developed at Clemson University in South Carolina.

A limited supply of Delsoy 5500 certified seed will be available in 1998. It is a high yielder with resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 3 and moderate resistance to stem canker.

This University of Missouri release is a medium-short, maturity group V, about two days later and 2 inches taller than Hutcheson.