Soybean scientists such as breeders and entomologists in academic institutions and soybean seed companies will directly utilize the marker technology and information on marker association with Rag1 virulence to screen soybean aphid populations for the potential to colonize plants with the Rag1 soybean aphid resistance gene. Seed companies and other soybean aphid scientists will use the marker technology to determine where to market cultivars with Rag1 and will help extension entomologists determine the risks to growers of planting cultivars with or without Rag1. Information on virulence potential will also help soybean producers select appropriate resistant cultivars or to determine whether to employ alternative soybean aphid management practices instead. This information will directly influence the soybean producer’s decision whether to select a cultivar with Rag1 or not. Use of this strategy to identify Rag1 virulence potential in aphid samples will increase the effectiveness and durability, or length of useful service, of Rag1 in production. Effective use of Rag1, along with other suitable management practices, can significantly stabilize soybean production, especially when there are serious aphid outbreaks.
Information on the novel aphid resistance genetics in PI 587677 and PI 594592 will be released to public and private soybean breeders, under license. This information will facilitate the production of new soybean cultivars with a wider spectrum of resistance to the soybean aphid. The addition of new soybean aphid resistance genetics, derived from PI 587677 and PI 594592, will contribute to the overall integrated management of the soybean aphid.