Soybean Genomics: Developments through the Use of Cultivar “Forrest”

Legume crops are particularly important due to their ability to support symbiotic nitrogen fixation, a key to sustainable crop production and reduced carbon emissions. Soybean (Glycine max) has a special position as a major source of increased protein and oil production in the common grass-legume rotation. The cultivar “Forrest” has saved US growers billions of dollars in crop losses due to resistances programmed into the genome. Moreover, since Forrest grows well in the north-south transition zone, breeders have used this cultivar as a bridge between the southern and northern US gene pools. Investment in Forrest genomics resulted in the development of the following research tools: (i) a genetic map, (ii) three RIL populations (96>n>975), (iii) ~200 NILs, (iv) 115,220 BACs and BIBACs, (v) a physical map, (vi) 4 different minimum tiling path (MTP) sets, (vii) 25,123 BAC end sequences (BESs) that encompass 18.5 Mbp spaced out from the MTPs, and 2 000 microsatellite markers within them (viii) a map of 2,408 regions each found at a single position in the genome and 2104 regions found in 2 or 4 similar copies at different genomic locations (each of >150 kbp), (ix) a map of homoeologous regions among both sets of regions, (x) a set of transcript abundance measurements that address biotic stress resistance, (xi) methods for transformation, (xii) methods for RNAi, (xiii) a TILLING resource for directed mutant isolation, and (xiv) analyses of conserved synteny with other sequenced genomes. The SoyGD portal provides access to the data. To date these resources assisted in the genomic analysis of soybean nodulation and disease resistance. This review summarizes the resources and their uses.