December 17, 2002

A Queensland Department of Primary Industry (QDPI) team working within the Grains Research & Development Corporation supported National Soybean Improvement Program is screening more than 300 soybean lines for phytopthora resistance.

Pathologist Malcolm Ryley said large QDPI databases of breeding line reactions to phytopthora strains
collected in Australia over the last 20 years were being used in the project. The databases, the only ones of their kind in Australia, enabled quick access to information on breeding lines being considered for release as new varieties and helped in monitoring soybean strains.

"It is essential we maintain a good knowledge of the soybean phytopthora strains in different regions, because it allows us to detect any changes in the populations," Dr Ryley said. "To do this we make annual surveys in most soybean growing areas of Australia." Dr Ryley said gene pyramiding would assure soybean growers of multi-layered phytopthora resistance, as opposed to single gene resistances that have caused problems in the past, particularly in NSW.

One of the exciting breakthroughs in the research was identification of a new phytopthora resistant gene in the US, the first found in 15 years. The gene would be introduced to Australia after quarantine requirements were met, and tested for resistance to Australian races of phytopthora.