Differential reactions of soybean isolines with combinations of aphid resistance genes Rag1, Rag2, and Rag3 to four soybean aphid biotypes

With the discovery of the soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) as a devastating insect pest of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in the United States, host resistance was recognized as an important management option. However, the identification of soybean aphid isolates exhibiting strong virulence against aphid resistance genes (Rag genes) has highlighted the need for pyramiding genes to help ensure the durability of host resistance as a control strategy. In this study, soybean isolines with all possible combinations of the resistance and susceptibility alleles at Rag1, Rag2, and Rag3 were evaluated for their effectiveness against the four characterized soybean aphid biotypes. All soybean isolines, including the susceptible check carrying none of the resistance alleles (S1/S2/S3), were infested with each biotype in no-choice greenhouse tests, and the aphid populations developed on each isoline were enumerated 14 d after infestation. All gene combinations, with the exception of Rag3 alone, provided excellent protection against biotype 1. Isolines with Rag2 alone or in combination with Rag1 and Rag3 had greater levels of resistance to biotype 2 than those with either Rag1 alone, Rag3 alone, or the Rag1/3 pyramid. For biotype 3, the Rag1/3 and Rag1/2/3 pyramided lines significantly reduced aphid populations compared with all other gene combinations, while the Rag1/2/3 pyramid provided the greatest protection against biotype 4. Overall, the Rag1/2/3 pyramided line conferred the greatest protection against all four biotypes.