Registration of three soybean germplasms with novel cyst nematode resistance from PI 567516C

Authors: Fritz, Lisa; Arelli, Prakash; Mengistu, Alemu

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2021
Publication Date: 9/8/2021
Citation: Fritz, L.A., Arelli, P.R., Mengistu, A. 2021. Registration of three soybean germplasms with novel cyst nematode resistance from PI 567516C. Journal of Plant Registrations. 15:588-599. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20166 .
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20166

Interpretive Summary: More soybean yield is lost to soybean cyst nematode (SCN) in the United States each year than to any other soybean pathogen, causing estimated crop losses exceeding $1 billion annually. Planting SCN-resistant soybean varieties has been a strategy for suppressing reproduction of the pest and reducing yield losses for over 50 years, but nematode populations have adapted to overcome the type of resistance commonly found in U.S. soybean cultivars. We have developed and released three soybean germplasm lines with combined resistance from two different sources: ‘Hartwig’ and PI 567516C. Hartwig has resistance to multiple populations of SCN but this source not yet been widely deployed in U.S. cultivars. PI 567516C is a soybean introduction from China that has been identified in multiple studies to contain genetically unique SCN resistance. The three new soybean lines, named JTN-5316, JTN-5416, and JTN-5516, have inherited broad genetic resistance to SCN from Hartwig and PI 567516C across four chromosomes, and are confirmed to be resistant to at least four different populations of cyst nematodes (commonly referred to as races 1, 2, 3, and 5) that differ in their ability to reproduce on a defined set of soybean lines. These maturity group V soybeans are the first releases developed from PI 567516C. PI 567516C is a challenging soybean for breeders to work with directly because the plants produce greenish-brown seed and the plant growth habit is prostrate instead of upright. JTN-5316, JTN-5416, and JTN-5516 produce typical yellow seeds on upright plants, thus making the unique SCN resistance of PI 567516C available to breeders in an agronomically-acceptable plant for faster development of cultivars with broad and durable resistance to SCN.

Technical Abstract: Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] germplasm lines JTN-5316 (Reg. No. _____, PI 691524), JTN-5416 (Reg. No. _____, PI 691525), and JTN-5516 (Reg. No. _____, PI 691526) were released by the USDA-ARS in 2019 and trace 25% of their pedigree to PI 567516C. These F6–derived sister lines are the first releases derived from this accession. The new lines were developed to provide broad genetic resistance to the predominant damaging pest of soybean in the U.S., soybean cyst nematode (SCN), by combining the novel genetic resistance of PI 567516C with the established resistance of ‘Hartwig’. Development of these lines was characterized by intensive selection of F3 plants based on agronomic characteristics and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers associated with SCN resistance quantitative trait loci (QTL) in PI 567516C and Hartwig. The new lines have inherited resistance alleles at five QTL: two originating from PI 567516C and three originating from Hartwig, across four chromosomes. The lines were evaluated for and exhibit varying levels of resistance to other economically important pathogens of soybean, including: reniform nematode, frogeye leaf spot, and southern stem canker. JTN-5316, JTN-5416, and JTN-5516 were field tested for multiple years in Jackson and Milan, TN, and produce moderate seed yield. These determinate maturity group (MG) V germplasm lines are excellent parent material for breeding programs with an interest in incorporating broad genetic resistance to SCN.