Towards the identification of novel soybean cyst nematode resistance genes
K. HORGAN (1), C. Fliege (2), N. Yu (2), B. Diers (2), M. Hudson (3), A. Bent (4) (1) University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A.; (2) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, U.S.A.; (3) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , U.S.A.; (4) University of Wisconsin-Madison, U.S.A.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most economically damaging pathogen of soybean in the United States and causes substantial disease worldwide. The disease is managed by crop rotation and planting of resistant varieties. However, most resistant varieties in present use rely primarily on resistance locus Rhg1 from a single source, PI 88788. The wide use of the PI88788 Rhg1 allele is promoting a gradual evolution of SCN populations toward virulence on plants carrying this resistance. Novel sources of SCN resistance are needed. Previously, two independent QTL conferring resistance against highly virulent SCN populations were identified in Glycine soja accession PI 468916 (a wild soybean relative), and were introgressed into soybean. These QTL, cqSCN006 and cqSCN007, have been precisely mapped and further fine-mapping presently underway has identified a list of candidate genes possibly involved in resistance. RNAi, complementation and CRISPR/Cas9 methods are being used to functionally test these genes for impacts on SCN resistance. Once genes have been identified, further characterization of their products and resistance mechanism will be pursued. This will not provide plant breeders with the ability to develop precise molecular markers, but will also provide insights regarding the SCN-soybean pathosystem and the development of improved control methods.

Abstract Number: P17-535
Session Type: Poster