By Elise St Clair
BMC Genomics featured a study led by Luis Posadas Martinez, research assistant professor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, in a special issue on May 28, 2025.
The study, titled “A tritrophic plant-insect-pathogen system used to develop a closely linked Rag2 and Rsv1‑h recombinant haplotype in double-resistant soybean germplasm,” explored the relationship between soybeans, soybean aphids and soybean mosaic virus to genetically create a soybean line that more effectively resists soybean aphids and soybean mosaic virus.
Soybean mosaic virus and soybean aphids, common carriers of the virus, are detrimental pests to soybean production, and they have only grown more problematic for soybeans over time as they have evolved together. But soybeans have evolved a defense mechanism to protect themselves from these pests – R-genes. The Rag2 gene, which resists soybean aphids, and the Rsv1 gene, which resists soybean mosaic virus, are both found on chromosome 13 within the soybean.
Source : unl.edu