Breeding for disease resistance in soybean: a global perspective

Abstract

Key message This review provides a comprehensive atlas of QTLs, genes, and alleles conferring resistance to 28 important diseases in all major soybean production regions in the world. Abstract Breeding disease-resistant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] varieties is a common goal for soybean breeding programs to ensure the sustainability and growth of soybean production worldwide. However, due to global climate change, soybean breeders are facing strong challenges to defeat diseases. Marker-assisted selection and genomic selection have been demonstrated to be successful methods in quickly integrating vertical resistance or horizontal resistance into improved soybean varieties, where vertical resistance refers to R genes and major effect QTLs, and horizontal resistance is a combination of major and minor effect genes or QTLs. This review summarized more than 800 resistant loci/alleles and their tightly linked markers for 28 soybean diseases worldwide, caused by nematodes, oomycetes, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. The major breakthroughs in the discovery of disease resistance gene atlas of soybean were also emphasized which include: (1) identification and characterization of vertical resistance genes reside rhg1 and Rhg4 for soybean cyst nematode, and exploration of the underlying regulation mechanisms through copy number variation and (2) map-based cloning and characterization of Rps11 conferring resistance to 80% isolates of Phytophthora sojae across the USA. In this review, we also highlight the validated QTLs in overlapping genomic regions from at least two studies and applied a consistent naming nomenclature for these QTLs. Our review provides a comprehensive summary of important resistant genes/QTLs and can be used as a toolbox for soybean improvement. Finally, the summarized genetic knowledge sheds light on future directions of accelerated soybean breeding and translational genomics studies.

Evaluation Soybean Cultivars for Reaction to Heterodera glycines Populations HG Types 7 and 1.3.4.7 in Northeast China

“…Some resistant cultivars (Pengdou 158 and Qingdou 13) contain a complex genetic background. In the early soybean genetic improvement, many Chinese black beans and other resistance gene resources were aggregated into SCN resistant cultivars [ 37 ]. These include Huipizhiheidou, Wuzhaiheidou, Yingxianheidou, PI 548402, PI 437654, and PI 548316.…”

Understandings and future challenges in soybean functional genomics and molecular breeding

“…Novel loci/genes are required for Phytophthora root and stem rot resistance Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae, is a destructive soil-borne soybean disease worldwide (Lin et al, 2022a). Over 40 Rps genes or loci have been reported, as reviewed by Lin et al (2022a).…”

“…Novel loci/genes are required for Phytophthora root and stem rot resistance Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae, is a destructive soil-borne soybean disease worldwide (Lin et al, 2022a). Over 40 Rps genes or loci have been reported, as reviewed by Lin et al (2022a). Of these, the Rps11 locus alone is responsible for resistance to 80% of the P. sojae isolates in the United States (Wang et al, 2021c).…”

Plant breeding for increased sustainability: challenges, opportunities and progress

“…In addition, pest and disease resistance in faba bean is covered (Rubiales and Khazaei 2022) as well as resistance to downy mildew in sunflower (Molinero-Ruiz 2022). An extremely informative resource for soybean resistance improvement has been compiled by Lin et al (2022) providing well-structured information on more than 800 loci/alleles associated with disease resistance and their tightly linked markers for 28 soybean diseases, caused by nematodes, oomycetes, fungi, bacteria, or viruses.…”