UNC Charlotte professor awarded $2.8M grant to develop soybean varieties resistant to damaging pest

Why It Matters:

The soybean crop is extremely important to North Carolina's economy, accounting for nearly 6% of the state's farm income. Developing soybean varieties that can resist the SCN would help protect farmers' livelihoods and ensure global food production.

The Details:

• The grant will allow Song to convene a team of researchers with expertise in plant biology to develop new soybean varieties that can withstand the SCN.

• The team will focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms of broad SCN resistance in wild relatives of farmed soybean plants.

• The grant also includes support for expanding computational expertise in plant science and providing hands-on education and training to students and teachers.

• Prior support from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBiotech) was crucial in securing the NSF grant.

Conclusion:

With the support of the NSF grant, Bao-Hua Song and her team aim to develop new soybean varieties that can resist the damaging soybean cyst nematode, protecting farmers' income and ensuring global food production. The research will also advance computational expertise in plant science and provide education and training opportunities for students and teachers.