Project Number: 3602-21220-012-01
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 20, 2012
End Date: Jan 08, 2014

Objective:
Obj 1: Evaluate soybean germplasm in MG I, II, and early III for resistance to charcoal rot under greenhouse conditions. Obj. 2: Assess variability in aggressiveness among soybean isolates of Macrophomina phaseolina from geographically diverse areas. Obj. 3: Assess variability in aggressiveness among isolates of M. phaseolina from diverse hosts against soybean.

Approach:
Obj 1: Soybean accessions (USDA-ARS Soybean Germplasm Collection) and commercial soybean varieties in MG I, II, and early III, will be evaluated under greenhouse conditions for charcoal rot development using previously reported methods. Obj 2: Establish a collection of isolates of M. phaseolina from geographically diverse regions of the US and from multiple host (primarily soybean, corn, and alfalfa). Isolates from the southern US will be obtained from existing collections while plant expressing symptoms of charcoal rot or from areas with a history of the disease, will be collected to obtain northern US isolates. Isolates will be evaluated for aggressiveness towards susceptible and moderately resistant soybean genotypes, representing both early and late MG, under greenhouse conditions by using methods employed for Obj 1.