Evaluation of perennial Glycine species for response to Meloidogyne incognita, Rotylenchulus reniformis, and Pratylenchus penetrans

Root-knot (Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood), reniform (Rotylenchulus reniformis Lindford & Oliveira), and lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans (Cobb) Filipjev & Schuurmans Stekhoven) are plant-parasitic nematodes that feed on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) roots, limiting seed production. The availability of resistance in soybeans to these nematodes is limited. However, new sources of resistance can be discovered in wild relatives of agronomic crops. Perennial Glycine species, wild relatives to soybean, are a source of valuable genetic resources with the potential to improve disease resistance in soybean. To determine if these perennials have resistance against nematodes, 18 accessions of 10 perennial Glycine species were evaluated for their response to M. incognita and R. reniformis, and eight accessions of six perennial Glycine species were evaluated for their response to P. penetrans. Pot experiments were conducted for M. incognita and R. reniformis in a growth chamber and in vitro experiments were conducted for P. penetrans. We found both shared and distinct interactions along the resistance-susceptible continuum in response to the three plant-parasitic nematode species. Ten and 15 accessions were classified as resistant to M. incognita based on eggs per gram of root and gall index, respectively. Among them, G. tomentella plant introductions (PIs) 446983 and 339655 had a significantly lower gall index than the resistant soybean check cv. Forrest. Of three R. reniformis resistant accessions identified in this study, G. tomentella PI 441001 showed significantly greater resistance to R. reniformis than the resistant check cv. Forrest based on nematodes per gram of root. In contrast, no resistance to P. penetrans was recorded in any perennial Glycine species.