Transgenic Approaches in Managing Sudden Death Syndrome

To improve resistance of soybean to infection by F. virguliforme and consequently reduce yield losses due to SDS. Educate upcoming generations of scientists, K-12, community college teachers and stakeholders on the use of transgenic technology and its need to ensure future food production and food security. Specific Objectives: 1. Transgenic approaches will be applied to (i) suppress fungal growth through RNA interference, (ii) generate antibodies against toxins that induce SDS, (iii) overexpress maize carbonic anhydrase and Arabidopsis nonhost resistance genes to enhance SDS resistance. 2. Incorporate successful transgenes identified in objective 1 into elite soybean lines. 3. Determine the durability of transgenes against a diverse collection of SDS pathogen isolates. 4. Evaluate if transgenes uses can enhance profitability. 5. Educate (i) undergraduate and graduate students, including minorities, on the transgenic approaches of objective 1, and (ii) K-12 and community college instructors on challenges facing global food security. 6. Educate stakeholders on the use of transgenic technology to ensure food security.