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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Soybean/maize Germplasm, Pathology, and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161040
Title: PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES IN MANAGEMENT OF SCLEROTINIA SCLEROTIORUM ON SOYBEAN

Author
item KULL, L - UNIV OF ILLINOIS
item Hartman, Glen
item VUONG, T - UNIV OF ILLINOIS
item Clough, Steven
item GRAEF, G - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item POWERS, K - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item STEADMAN, J - UNIV OF NEBRASKA

Submitted to: Soybean Research World Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/10/2003
Publication Date: 3/2/2004
Citation: Kull, L.S., Hartman, G.L., Vuong, T.D., Clough, S.J., Graef, G., Powers, K., Steadman, J.R. 2004. Progress and challenges in management of sclerotinia sclerotiorum on soybean [abstract]. Soybean Research World Conference Proceedings.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) on soybean, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a major yield-reducing disease in the northern soybean growing regions in the United States. Current disease management stategies include cultural practices and variety selection. In terms of research, screening and breeding for disease resistance has been a major focus of many breeding programs. Since high levels of physiological resistance have not been reported, addressing the need for successful, long term management has been more difficult. This difficulty may be in part due to problems associated with the perennial nature of the fungus in soil, wide host range, pathogen population structure, variability in isolate aggressiveness, low correlations between field and greenhouse evaluations, lack of widely adopted screening techniques, and difficulty in identifying the multiple genes involved in the resistance response. To address these problems, five major research efforts are currently underway: 1) S. sclerotiorum isolates are being characterized and variability in isolate aggressiveness is being assessed, 2) 18 soybean lines with promising levels of resistance are being evaluated at multiple locations with a core set of isolates, 3) the technical merit of controlled environment screening techniques to indicate field performance is being assessed, 4) quantitative trait loci associated with SSR resistance are being identified and mapped, and 5) microarray analysis is providing information about soybean genes involved in the resistance response. A long term solution to SSR on soybean involves the development of highly resistant varieties, better understanding of the pathogen, effective screening technologies, and identification of resistance genes.