Location: Soybean/maize Germplasm, Pathology, and Genetics Research
Project Number: 5012-21000-029-002-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2014
End Date: Aug 31, 2019
Objective:
To functionally characterize soybean response to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Candidate defense-related genes will be identified from soybean response to Scletotinia sclerotiorum and functionally characterized by determining the effect on plant defense when the candidate genes are repressed or enhanced in soybean and/or Nicotiana bethameniana.
Approach:
ARS will provide genetic constructs to the cooperator for transformation into soybean and Nicotiana benthamiana that will either silence the expression of a gene of interest, or enhance it. The cooperator will use DNA bombardment to stably introduce these constructs into soybean, and will use leaf infiltration to test gene function in transient assays in the Nicotiana leaves. Transgenics, stable or transient, will be challenged with Sclerotinia inoculations in the cooperator lab using detached soybean flowers after being infected with Sclerotinia ascospores. Transgenic soybean (either dried embryos or seed) will be shared with ARS which will conduct additional disease assays on the plants.
