Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is the most significant pest affecting soybean production in Illinois and worldwide, causing substantial yield losses annually. Traditional management strategies, including the use of resistant soybean varieties and chemical nematicides, have been partially effective but are increasingly challenged by the nematode's ability to adapt rapidly because of its large and diverse populations. This proposal outlines a novel approach to controlling SCN using genetic methods, such as CRISPR genome editing, the development of transgenic nematodes and the development of gene drive technology. The release of engineered nematodes could offer a sustainable, long-term solution to mitigate the agronomic impact of SCN on soybean crops, by aiming to control the reproduction of the nematode precisely, without affecting other species.

1) Develop a way to stably engineer the SCN genome. 2) Explore the use of the gene drive. 3) Investigate other strategies to control SCN through gene modification.

To develop and implement 1) reliable genetic transformation of SCN, 2) CRISPR gene editing in SCN, and 3) a genetic control system to reduce SCN populations, thereby providing a proof of concept for a method that may provide a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of control.

While the use of transgenic technology in plants (commercially known as biotech traits) is now widespread, research on the use of transgenic methods in SCN has been limited. Using methods developed for other species, SCN can be made to express introduced genes, but stable expression proved more difficult using past methods such as particle bombardment. The ability to insert genes into SCN would create a number of possibilities for precise and effective control of the nematode.