The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most damaging soybean pathogen in the US. Prior research from this team has produced a critical knowledge mass sufficient to design new strategies to prevent soybeans from SCN infection. This project will use the team’s combined knowledge and gene-editing to alter soybean genes to create SCN resistance by specifically changing soybean proteins that SCN exploits to infect the plant, making it harder for the pathogen to cause damage; and altering an existing soybean defense pathway, causing it to turn on quickly when SCN is present.
The two main objectives of this project are to identify soybean gene targets for genome editing through soybean susceptibility genes and gene components of the soybean alarm system. The team will also devise and implement gene editing strategies to generate soybean lines with the desired edits and will assess the effectiveness of these soybean lines for SCN resistance.
Past and ongoing research efforts supported by Soy Checkoff funds have created tools and resources that can now be used to devise novel SCN control strategies. Farmers can benefit from new soybean cultivars and gene-editing technology for improved traits in SCN resistance.