ARS | Publication request: GERMPLASM EVALUATION OF GLYCINE MAX FOR RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM SOLANI, THE CAUSAL ORGANISM OF SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: June 21, 1997
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean is caused by Fusarium solani, a soilborn fungus that has been reported in most major soybean production areas in the United States. Losses of more than 20% have been recorded from farmers' fields. The USDA Soybean Germplasm collection consists of over 16,000 accessions, which until now has not been systematically screened for SDS resistance. In this report we inoculated over 800 soybean entries with F. Solani and recorded their responses to infection by evaluating foliar symptoms of the disease. Several of the newly acquired Chinese Pis were found to have high levels of SDS resistance and are new sources of resistance not yet utilized in developing SDS resistant soybean cultivars. This information will provide the basis for utilizing new sources of resistance for SDS, and will be helpful to public and private soybean breeders throughout the midwest.

Technical Abstract: Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is an important soybean disease that potentially can be controlled using host plant resistance. In this study, over 800 soybean plant introductions (PI), lines and cultivars were screened for resistance to Fusarium solani. Of 728 plant introductions from China, PI 567.374 had mean SDS foliar severities that were significantly (P=0.05) lower than PI 520.733 (resistant check) in both growth chamber and greenhouse tests and PIs 567.315, 567.441C, 567.650B, and 567.664 had mean SDS severity ratings that were significantly (P=0.05) lower than PI 520.733 in a growth chamber test. Of the 16 soybean cyst nematode resistant entries tested, none had SDS severity ratings lower than PI 520.733. In another experiment, few soybean cultivars or experimental lines had an SDS severity rating lower than PI 520.733 in any one of three trials. Several of the newly acquired Chinese PIs were found to have high levels of SDS resistance and represent potentially new source of resistance not yet utilized in developing SDS resistant soybean cultivars.