Purdue University Researchers Discover Soybean Genes for Phytophthora Resistance

Researchers from Purdue University led by Jianxin Ma and Teresa Hughes have identified two genes from the soybean genome that confer high resistance against the pathogen causing Phytophthora root and stem rust. According to Ma, Phytophthora sojae resistance exists naturally in soybean germplasm, but most previous resistant genes have lost their ability to fight off the pathogen. The two newly identified genes appear to be stronger than the earlier genes.

The research team made the discovery while looking for possible resistance to Asian soybean rust. Hughes said "Our experimental locations had high Phytophthora pressure, and we found that these genes did very well against that disease. That was our first clue that they might have good resistance to Phytophthora sojae." The discovery could lead to developing soybean cultivars in the future with better resistance to the Phytophthora pathogen.

Results of the Purdue research were published online by Theoretical and Applied Genetics and can be viewed at http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00122-013-2127-4.pdf.

For more information, read the news release at: http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2013/Q3/researchers-discover-genes-resistant-to-soybean-pathogen.html.