Seeking Emerging Technologies for Control of Asian Soybean Rust

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A client is seeking emerging technologies for control of a disease called Asian soybean rust (ASR).

ASR is a globally significant disease affecting soybean production in major markets. It is caused by the fungal pathogens Phakopsora pachyrhizi and/or Phakopsora meibomiae. Current options used for managing this disease are crop rotation, fungicide application, and development of resistant varieties. All have significant limitations. Crop rotation has poor efficacy because ASR has a broad host range of over 80 species (30 legume species, including the highly invasive weed kudzu) which can serve as disease hosts. The disease cycle is fast, producing spores that can travel significant distances and infect leaf tissue directly. Synthetic fungicides are costly and pathogen resistance to triazoles and strobilurins is already an issue. Although several types of resistant alleles/genes in soybean have been identified, the resistance is frequently limited to certain pathogen races, and this resistance is typically not durable.

Consequently, the client is seeking broad spectrum, stable ASR control technologies.

Technologies of interest include any solution that could be the basis for controlling Asian Soybean Rust:

• genes and molecular markers associated with novel soybean resistance alleles with demonstrated horizontal or vertical efficacy against a broad spectrum of Phakopsora spp. or efficacy against races that have broken existing resistance alleles or that have overcome fungicides;
• chemical controls with effective and novel modes of action against Phakopsora sp.;
• novel biological controls for Phakopsora; or
• other control mechanisms and adjacent technologies for control of rust in all plants.

Technologies NOT of interest include:

• agronomic management practices; and
• patents, including patent applications, or technologies described in scientific journals, prior to 1 January 2012.

Requirements

All submissions must be emerging ASR control technologies that are:

1. Novel, i.e. entail a solution with a unique mode of action or new concept for ASR control;
2. Evidence-based, i.e. demonstrate control of Phakopsora in vitro or in planta, or control of rusts in general; and
3. NOT a current patent or published in major journals.

Although the seeker is willing to consider solutions whose primary application is in a plant species other than soybeans, the submitter must provide evidence or a reason to believe that the solution may be effective on soybeans, and that it meets all of the requirements listed above.

The following criteria must be met and documented for the seeker to consider the technology:

1. Non-confidential description of the unique technology;
2. Data or strong rationale supporting efficacy for soybean rust control;
3. Mode of action, if known;
4. Current status of the development; and
5. Status of intellectual property protection, including availability of the technology for access.