Photo courtesy of Missouri Soybean
The Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council announced a breakthrough discovery that will help strengthen the development of soybean varieties resistant to one of agriculture’s most damaging pests, soybean cyst nematode (SCN).
Scientists identified a gene known as GmSNAP14 that plays a key role in how soybean plants respond to soybean cyst nematode infection, the leading cause of soybean yield loss in the United States.
The research, conducted at the University of Missouri and fully funded by MSMC, was recently published in the scientific journal New Phytologist.
Soybean cyst nematode infects soybean roots and quietly reduces yields, often without obvious above-ground symptoms. The pest causes billions of dollars in lost production each year across the United States.
Through bi-parental genetic mapping and high-quality DNA sequencing analysis, the research team identified naturally occurring allelic variants of the GmSNAP14 gene in resistant soybean lines, including Peking, one of the most widely used sources for breeding soybean cyst nematode resistance.
Postdoctoral scientist and lead author of the study, Vinavi Gamage of the University of Georgia, conducted functional characterization, gene expression and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing experiments to clone and confirm the role of GmSNAP14 in conferring resistance. The work was supervised by Melissa Mitchum, Barry Bustillo Distinguished Professor in Plant Nematology.
Results showed that GmSNAP14 variant alleles reduce the amount of full-length GmSNAP14 protein produced in the plant and generate altered protein forms associated with stronger resistance responses.
“The discovery and subsequent functional characterization of GmSNAP14 now gives soybean breeders and farmers a more complete understanding of the genetic architecture and resistance mechanisms found in Peking-type resistance,” said Andrew Scaboo, associate professor and MSMC endowed chair of the Biotechnology Professorship Fund at the University of Missouri. “The discovery also highlights the cross-disciplinary expertise and teamwork needed to make such a discovery. We appreciate our colleagues at the University of Georgia, University of Missouri and USDA, as well as the support from the farmers of Missouri.”
The research at the University of Missouri was conducted by a collaborative team that included former graduate students Anser Mahmood and Elizabeth De Meyer, staff members Bishnu Dhital and Clinton Meinhardt, and faculty member Mariola Usovsky in the Division of Plant Science and Technology. The group is part of the Northern Missouri Breeding and Genetics research program led by Scaboo.
Additional collaborators include Lesa Beamer, professor of biochemistry at the University of Missouri, and Qijian Song, research leader with the USDA Agricultural Research Service Soybean Genomics and Improvement Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland.
“Our soybean breeding and genetics research team at the University of Missouri is excited to share the discovery of GmSNAP14 to help protect the profitability and sustainability of soybean production in Missouri and nationwide,” said Mariola Usovsky, research scientist at the University of Missouri.
Missouri Soybeans is already working with private sector partners and seed companies to educate agronomists and seed dealers about the discovery and explore pathways to incorporate the findings into current soybean breeding programs.
“Missouri soybean farmers invest in research because discoveries like this lead to real solutions in the field,” said Wasser, CEO of Missouri Soybeans. “Soybean cyst nematode remains one of the most damaging pests our farmers face. Advancements like the identification of GmSNAP14 help equip breeders with new tools to strengthen resistance and protect soybean yields for years to come.”
Soybean cyst nematode populations continue to evolve and overcome the most widely used resistance source, PI 88788. Discoveries such as GmSNAP14, a foundational component of Peking resistance, provide new tools for breeders and researchers to improve the resilience of soybean production for all farmers.
For more information, read the study published here.
Source: Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
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