A high-throughput screening platform to enhance nematode resistance in soybeans

Crop pests are a serious threat to our food supply. One of the most damaging is a microscopic worm called the soybean cyst nematode, which costs American farmers over $1 billion (about $3.1 per person in the US) in yield losses every year – more than any other soybean disease. Current defenses include rotating crops, applying chemical treatments, and planting resistant soybean varieties. However, these resistant varieties rely on only a handful of protective genes, and the nematodes are evolving rapidly to overcome them. This project builds on a high-throughput screening platform that uses synthetic biology tools to discover new genetic sources of nematode resistance and engineer soybean proteins to better protect crops. This approach works with the plant’s own biology and is designed for speed, compatibility with gene editing, and broad applicability across multiple crops.