2019
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Their Effect on Soybean Cyst Nematode Infestations
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Contributor/Checkoff:
South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
NematodePest
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Heike Bucking, South Dakota State University
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council
$33,746
Institution Funded:
South Dakota State University
$33,746
Brief Project Summary:

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play an important role for plant and soil health. These beneficial fungi take up nutrients from the soil and deliver them to the plant, improving abiotic and biotic resistance. Studies demonstrated that AM fungi can increase resistance against parasitic nematodes and other root-feeding insects. There is interest to exploit AM fungi or other plant endophytes for protection against root herbivores. This project will study the effect of different AM communities and plant endophytes on soybean cyst nematodes. A better insight into the effects of AM fungi on SCN infestations and their mode of action could lead to developing additional biocontrol agents.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, plant pathologists, scientists

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Year 1: The experiments that were conducted in Year 1 demonstrated the potential of AM fungal communities to suppress SCNs in the soil and to increase soybean growth in SCN infested soils. Currently ongoing are experiments to repeat these first experiments with additional soybean cultivars. In addition, we were able to isolate a broad range of different endophytes from soybean plants and are currently screening these bacteria for their plant growth promoting capabilities, their ability to produce nematocidal enzymes, and to suppress SCN egg hatching and motility. The results of this screening will be used to select endophytes with nematocidal potential for the planned greenhouse experiments.

Year 2: The experiments will allow us to determine how AM fungi affect the yield and productivity of resistant and susceptible cultivars, and their effect on SCN nematode populations in infested soils. The lab experiments will provide us with information whether and how CMNs contribute to nematode resistance. We will also test the role of CMNs in soybean aphid resistance. It is known that warning signals against aphids can be transferred through CMNs. These experiments could be the first step to identify the chemical composition of warning signals that are exchanged between plants and could lead to the development of a new instrument to increase the plant resistance against stresses. We will also continue to test different soybean endophytes for their nematocidal potential. This has the potential to contribute to the development of a new microbial pesticide against SCNs.

Final Project Results

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.