New soybean varieties with improved seedpod weathering resistance and culinary grade quality could see more production coming from sugar cane growers along Queensland's coast.

Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QDPI&F) soybean technical officer Kerry Brett told cane growers at a recent Sunshine Coast field day new varieties would have better adaptation to the inclement weather that could impact on bean quality under coastal conditions.

Mr Brett said the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) was supporting collaborative work by departmental researchers from Queensland, NSW and Victoria and the CSIRO to test new soybean varieties at numerous sites in the eastern states.

Soybeans had been a very beneficial rotation crop for northern NSW cane growers for over 30 years, improving soil nitrogen levels and reducing fertiliser requirements for following cane crops.