Identification & integration of sudden death syndrome resistance genomic regions into Ontario-adapted food-grade soybeans

Lead Applicant: Istvan Rajcan

Research Priority: Competitive Production Systems

Program Type: Tier 1

Funding Cycle: 2021/2022

Research Centre: Ontario Crop Research Centre- Elora, Ridgetown & Woodstock

Research Summary: Soybean Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) has been established in Southwestern Ontario as the second most devastating pest to soybeans. The most effective countermeasure is using SDS-resistant cultivars to combat the disease and minimize its impact on yield, however, currently, there are no sustained breeding efforts to develop disease-resistant cultivars. This study aims to map genomic regions of soybean varieties to determine which genes control SDS resistance, which is a crucial step for understanding the mechanisms governing disease resistance in soybeans. This work will mitigate disease risk in a critical crop of the Ontario agri-food sector.