Climate change in recent years in Republic of Moldova leads to a change in the structure of the soybean crop. An increase in temperature, an uneven distribution of precipitation during the growing season of plants, as a result of frequent droughts, lead to a decrease in its potential productivity. In this regard, the task of creating and introducing high-yielding varieties capable of realizing the genetically incorporated productivity potential with high seed quality in conditions other than optimal is brought to the forefront. The solution of this problem largely depends on the gene pool of the initially material.

Improvement food crops in the world rests majorly on mutation. Experimental mutagenesis methods are used successfully to obtain it of the initially valuable material. One of these methods is the gamma-ray-induced mutagenesis. In our studies, induced mutagenesis was used-a treatment with gamma rays, followed by individual selection of the desired valuable forms. The investigated material presents lines obtained in M6 generation. For comparative analysis, was two cultivars (‘Zodiac’ and ‘Alina’) of soybean, approved in Moldova were used as standard samples. Dry seeds were irradiated with gamma rays, with doses of 100, 150, 200 and 250 Gy. The treated seeds were sown on the experimental ield according to generally accepted methods for this culture. The studies were conducted in three different years of 2013–2015.

From the progeny M3-M6, individual lines were selected, which by total yield differ signi icantly from plants of the control samples. During the three years of ield research (2013–2015), these forms demonstrated a wide variation in seed productivity per plant and mass of 1000 seeds. The obtained results based on the calculation of yield showed that some lines, depending on the conditions of the year, exceeded the values of standard samples, while others were inferior to them. Similar results were obtained on the basis of the 1000 seeds mass. These differences are most pronounced in the years 2014–2015, which were characterized by severe drought.

The results of research have shown that the use of induced mutagenesis-gamma radiation in soybeans made it possible to obtain new lines characterized by higher rates, both in productivity and seed quality. The selected lines will be included in the work programs for subsequent deeper breeding and genetic studies. On their basis new high-yielding varieties will be obtained with improved seed quality, is resistant to adverse environmental factors and their further introduction into production.