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A new soybean gene, showing resistance to Phytophthora root rot, has been identified. This is the first time in nearly 20 years a gene exhibiting effectiveness against the disease has been discovered. Ohio State University researchers, who made the discovery, have named the new gene Rps8. The germplasm containing the gene will be licensed for breeding purposes.

Anne Dorrance, an OSU plant pathologist said the discovery is a "major find" in the war against Phytophthora. She emphasized however; that at least another year of work needs to be completed before it can be determined just how effective the new gene is in protecting cultivars in the field.

"This is a big discovery over just a seven-year span of research," Dorrance said. Ohio State researchers have been screening soybean germplasm lines searching for that "diamond in the rough" since the mid-90s.

"Preliminary research results indicate the new gene is effective against Phytophthora isolates collected from 50 locations in Ohio," Dorrance said. "Only one isolate per field was tested, so there is still much more work that needs to be done to see if the gene is effective against the majority of pathogen populations in the field, of which there could be thousands."

"Phytophthora root rot is the single biggest threat to soybean production. Reduction in yield from the disease can range anywhere from five to 30 bushels per acre. If a million acres of soybeans were infected by this pathogen, that could mean a loss of $120 million for the farmer," Dorrance said. "If this new gene proves to be effective against a broad population, it could last anywhere from eight to 20 years."