2010 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) Develop multiple disease resistant soybeans through gene discovery and transfer of disease resistance genes into soybean. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) The overall approach will include the following three steps:. 1)determine functionality of candidate genes involved in resistance to sudden death syndrome, Sclerotinia stem rot, brown stem rot, Rhizoctoinia root rot, and charcoal rot diseases using this bean pod mottle virus-based VIGS system,. 2)confirm the resistance reaction in soybean using RNAi gene silencing in soybean, and. 3)recover transgenic lines of soybean with resistance to multiple diseases of soybean. 3.Progress Report Initial experiments were established to knock-out known resistance genes to one soybean pathogen. This evaluation is in progress. This project was monitored through electronic messages, phone conferences, and face-to-face meetings.