Purdue Researchers Identify New Soybean Gene to Fight Phytophthora

Researchers from Purdue University and Dow AgroSciences have discovered a novel soybean gene that provides resistance to multiple types of Phytophthora sojae, the soil-borne pathogen causing soybean farmers in the U.S. to lose approximately $250 million per year due to soybean stem and root rot.

The researchers screened a wide variety of soybean genetic material and identified the gene Rps11 that confers strong resistance to Phytophthora sojae. The discovery will allow development of molecular markers so that the resistance gene could be rapidly incorporated into elite soybean varieties to help protect farmers' soybean yields against stem and root rot. Dow AgroSciences intends to make the technology broadly available to soybean farmers.

For more details, read the Purdue University Agriculture News.