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Title: A DECADE OF QTL MAPPING FOR CYST NEMATODE RESISTANCE IN SOYBEAN

Author
item CONCBIDO, VIRGEL - MONSANTO
item DIERS, BRIAN - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item ARELLI, PRAKASH

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2003
Publication Date: 7/1/2004
Citation: Concbido, V., Diers, B., Arelli, P.R. 2004. A decade of QTL mapping for cyst nematode resistance in soybean. Crop Science. 44:1121-1131.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) is the most destructive pest of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] and is estimated to cause nearly 9 million metric tons in soybean yield losses annually worldwide. Host plant resistance is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of controlling SCN. Resistant soybean plant introductions (PIs) and related wild species, such as Glycine soja (Sieb. And Zucc.) have been identified. The advent of molecular marker technology has ushered in a decade devoted to the identification and characterization of quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying SCN resistance. In this review genetic mapping efforts have uncovered numerous locations of major and minor SCN resistance genes in many PIs and these will be discussed. In over a decade of mapping SCN resistance genes, there is consistency in the results. Primarily, the gene conferring the greatest level of resistance and the most common among sources was rhg1 on linkage group (LG) G. Another major resistance gene common to many sources was Rhg4 on LG A. Recently, two research groups have independently reported cloning of resistance genes, rhg1 and Rhg4. Despite these advances, the intellectual property issues, especially in the public sector, on the use of rhg1 and Rhg4 mapping and cloning information in SCN resistance breeding is slow in its application due to the intellectual property issues. Moreover, there is also a legitimate concern among soybean breeders over the seemingly large dependence on one major resistance gene, rhg1, which is common among major SCN resistance sources that are currently deployed in North America. This information is most valuable to the soybean breeders focused on developing germplasm for improved resistance to SCN.