A novel Rpp gene from PI 605823 for resistance to Phakopsora pachyrhizi was mapped on chromosome 19. Soybean rust, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungal pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd, is a disease threat to soybean production in regions of the world with mild winters. Host plant resistance conditioned by resistance to P. pachyrhizi (Rpp) genes has been found in numerous soybean accessions, and at least 10 Rpp genes or alleles have been mapped to six genetic loci. Identifying additional disease-resistance genes will facilitate development of soybean cultivars with durable resistance. PI 605823, a plant introduction from Vietnam, was previously identified as resistant to US populations of P. pachyrhizi in greenhouse and field trials. In this study, bulked segregant analysis using an F population derived from 'Williams 82' × PI 605823 identified a genomic region associated with resistance to P. pachyrhizi isolate GA12, which had been collected in the US State of Georgia in 2012. To further map the resistance locus, linkage mapping was carried out using single-nucleotide polymorphism markers and phenotypic data from greenhouse assays with an F population derived from Williams 82 × PI 605823 and an F population derived from '5601T' × PI 605823. A novel resistance gene, Rpp7, was mapped to a 154-kb interval (Gm19: 39,462,291-39,616,643 Glyma.Wm82.a2) on chromosome 19 that is different from the genomic locations of any previously reported Rpp genes. This new gene could be incorporated into elite breeding lines to help provide more durable resistance to soybean rust.

Soybean rust, caused by the fungal pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi, continues to be a global threat to soybean production, decreasing productivity and increasing the pesticide burden of cropping systems. However, breeders now have access to resistance genes that map to at least seven independent loci which can help protect crops against soybean rust infection. Efficient greenhouse screening protocols have been developed, and low-cost SNP genotyping technology is available for markerassisted selection and backcrossing of resistance to Phakopsora pachyrhizi (Rpp) loci.Soybean breeders can now employ these technologies for the development of highyielding soybean cultivars with two, three, or even four pyramided Rpp genes. Such cultivars should provide resistance against the most virulent P. pachyrhizi populations and would be of great help to both large-scale growers in the Americas and subsistence farmers in developing countries. We hope that a better understanding of the history and unique characteristics of P. pachyrhizi, the discovery of Rpp resistance alleles and the latest molecular breeding techniques will empower breeders across the globe to develop cultivars with durable resistance. K E Y W O R D Sgermplasm improvement, plant pathogen, rust resistance, soybean

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