The joint collaboration has focused on identifying novel sources of genetic resistance to Asian Soybean Rust (ASR), the leading cause of crop losses in Brazil and other soy-producing countries.
2Blades announces that it has successfully delivered on goals in a project launched in 2018 and extended in 2023 with Bayer Crop Science to identify resistance genes against Asian Soybean Rust (ASR). The project also involved partners at The Sainsbury Laboratory (Norwich, UK) and the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil). This achievement marks the successful completion of the collaboration, paving the way for Bayer to advance new targeted strategies for controlling and combatting this destructive disease.
“Asian soybean rust is one of the most significant threats to soybean production globally,” said Ty Vaughn, Head of Plant Biotechnology for Bayer Crop Science. “The successful work that we’ve been able to accomplish with 2Blades will allow us to bring the solutions that growers need to farm more quickly.”
Asian soybean rust is a fast-moving disease caused by the airborne fungus, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, that can cause rapid crop losses of up to 90 per cent within just 3 weeks of initial infection. ASR thrives in tropical regions and is the leading cause of soybean disease across the large soy production areas of Brazil, causing crop losses of more than US$ 10 billion since 2001. While fungicides have historically been used to combat P. pachyrhizi, the pathogen is rapidly adapting and building tolerance to these chemical controls.
In search of more effective measures against ASR, 2Blades and Bayer Crop Science sought to identify novel sources of genetic resistance for sustainable and environmentally friendly protection from ASR. In addition to identifying resistance genes, 2Blades’ scientists achieved major advances in understanding the molecular complexity of P. pachyrhizi, including assembling its complete genome sequence. This knowledge helps to ensure durability of resistance and complements Bayer’s work to provide various modes of action against ASR for effective, sustainable solutions to soybean farmers in the US and Brazil.
