Resistant Varieties Still Years Away

The development of soybean varieties with natural resistance may prove to be the long-term solution to soybean rust. However, researchers caution, the commercial introduction of resistant varieties likely is five to seven years away.

The United Soybean Board is funding resistance research through grower check-off dollars. U.S. researchers are screening for resistant genes in thousands of domestic plant lines as well as exotic germplasm from South America and Asia. This germplasm is exposed to the soybean rust pathogen at the USDA/ARS facility in Fort Detrick, MD, the only place in the nation where soybean rust research can be conducted.

How is this research going?

• More than 1,000 commercial varieties have been screened - and all are susceptible to rust.

• However, initial research has only scratched the surface. The University of Illinois has more than 16,000 germplasm lines in its research facility. Combined with germplasm from other nations, researchers are optimistic that natural resistance eventually will be detected.

Even if resistant genes are found, however, they are unlikely to provide complete soybean rust resistance right away. Instead, traits that reduce susceptibility will be incorporated into commercially viable varieties to provide a degree of soybean rust resistance.

What is the bottom line for growers?

Resistant varieties may hold promise as the long-term solution to soybean rust. In the short term, however, the only option is timely fungicide protection of currently available varieties.