Phytophthora root and stem rot (PRR) is a devastating disease in soybean
caused by Phytophthora sojae, a soil-borne water mold. P. sojae races are
highly diverse and variable, thus controlling it is very challenging.
Scientist from Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China reported
successful introduction of harpinXooc-encoding hrf2 gene from rice bacterial
pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola in soybean which improved
resistance to P. sojae. The results are published in Transgenic Research.

Molecular tests confirmed the expression of hrf2 in transgenic soybean
plants. After exposure to P. sojae, the non-transgenic control plants showed
PRR symptoms such as necrotic and wilting leaves, and plant death; while the
transgenic plants had slight chlorotic leaves but with normal development.
In the T3 to T5 generations, the transgenic plants exhibited milder PRR
symptoms and higher survival rates than the control. The transgenic plants
also exhibited significant upregulations of plant defense-related genes such
as salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-dependent and hypersensitive
response-related genes. Non-transgenic and transgenic plants that were not
exposed to P. sojae had so significant differences in agronomic
characteristic.

Based on the results, hrf2 expression in transgenic soybean significantly
improved the resistance of soybean to P. sojae.

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