Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Asian Soybean Rust Resistance: An Overview

Carlos Renato Echeveste da Rosa, Carlos Roberto Spehar and Jean Q. Liu

Asian soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, occurs in all soybean production regions of the world. Rust is the most destructive foliar disease of soybean and can cause yield losses of over 80%. To date, six race-specific resistance genes have been identified in plant introductions. However, races of P. pachyrhizi able to overcome the resistance conferred by these genes have evolved. Due to the limited availability of resistant varieties, fungicide application is the only management tool available for farmers, which significantly raises the production cost and the risk of environmental and human contamination. Thus, the transfer of resistance genes through classical breeding followed by marker-assisted selection allows the development of resistant varieties and their use as an efficient and cost-effective method for controlling soybean rust. The objective of this review is to provide a broad overview of the Asian soybean rust resistance, and a useful tool to guide future researches as well.