Researchers at the Oilseed Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences cloned a specific gene that provides resistance to Asian soybean rust, the South China Morning Post reported on April 26.
Asian soybean rust is a fungal infection that appears as brown or gray spots on the lower leaves of the plant. Widely distributed in Latin America. This serious disease occurs in all major soybean producing regions.
Today, this disease is only combated by chemical protection of plants, researchers say.
Asian soybean rust is caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi. The resulting soybean genes will provide China with access to large soybean production for oils, proteins and livestock feed.
China is the world’s largest importer of soybeans. China occupies 60% of the soybean market. The main suppliers are Brazil and the United States.
Most of China’s soybeans come from Latin America. Suppliers lose up to $2 billion (185 billion rubles) a year due to rust, said Alberto Vettoretti, managing partner at consulting firm Dezan Shira & Associates.
Beijing has stepped up efforts to ensure food security and technological self-sufficiency amid climate change and geopolitical uncertainty.
China increased soybean imports last year by more than 11% from 2022 levels to 99.41 million tonnes, according to customs data.
According to Ohio State University in the US, despite fungicide treatment, an outbreak of Asian soybean rust can occur and completely destroy soybean leaves within two weeks. Gene cloning as a solution to the rust problem. “advance from zero to one”the Oilseed Research Institute said in a statement.
Scientists have spent 30 years studying soybean rust disease. Recently, researchers successfully cloned the resistance gene Rpp6907, the institute added.
“For the first time in the world, a broad-spectrum gene for resistance to soybean rust has been cloned from soybeans. “This provides valuable genetic knowledge to improve rust resistance in soybeans.”the message said.
“The use of rust resistance genes protected by Chinese intellectual property laws will increase soybean production in Latin America and could reduce import prices ‘due to higher yields and cost savings.’Vettoretti added.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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