AMES, Iowa. - The Iowa Soybean Research Center’s Industry Advisory Council met in September for its annual meeting to consider proposed soybean research ideas and to offer guidance on how to best invest $393,795 in available new funding.
The council is made up of three Iowa soybean farmers and 20 industry partner representatives and is led by IAC Chair Christie Wiebbecke, chief officer of research and conservation for the Iowa Soybean Association. The center is led by ISRC co-directors Danny Singh, professor of agronomy, and Greg Tylka, professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, at Iowa State University.
Based on the council’s recommendations, the ISRC funded three new soybean research projects, each for two years.
Using Soybean Microbes as Protectants from Stress
Gwyn Beattie, professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, will use multiple approaches to explore the potential for microbes to serve as protectants for plants under certain stressful conditions. Abiotic stresses including water deficit, salinity, low phosphate and acidity can negatively impact soybean growth and the number of flowers per plant, pods per plant, seeds per pod and weight of pods. The study will reveal the effectiveness of approaches to enhance soybean stress tolerance that involve manipulating the microbial members and interactions within microbial communities on roots.
Cyst Nematode Single-Cell Omics
Thomas Baum, professor of plant pathology, entomology and microbiology, will investigate research ideas that are of primary scientific and academic interest and are directly relevant to future projects to target soybean cyst nematode. By way of new molecular approaches, key aspects of infection biology of the soybean cyst nematode will be uncovered. Successful completion of the work will reveal single-cell processes that govern nematode infection, laying the foundation for novel nematode control approaches.
Investigating the Specific Role of Sterols in Soybean Growth and Development
Walter Suza, George Washington Carver Endowed Chair and adjunct associate professor of agronomy, will seek to identify the genes responsible for making healthier phytosterols and explore their impact on soybean growth and development. Phytosterols are natural compounds found in plants that can help lower cholesterol levels in humans. The research will help identify soybean varieties with improved phytosterol content that are better adapted to stress conditions. Additionally, the research will be linked with the George Washington Carver Future Hunger Fighters Program, offering ISU students the chance to experience molecular biology research focused on a globally significant crop.
ISRC Research Day
Prior to the center’s Industry Advisory Council meeting, the ISRC hosted an ISU Research Day which featured updates from select faculty and graduate students on ISRC-funded projects and a poster session featuring the research of ISU graduate students and research staff. Nineteen posters were on display for industry representatives, farmers and faculty to discuss and ask questions of the researchers. Research topics included numerous soybean-related projects and projects on soil and regenerative agricultural practices.
About the Iowa Soybean Research Center and its Advisory Council
The Iowa Soybean Research Center was established in 2014 by Iowa State University in partnership with the Iowa Soybean Association. The center was founded to increase soybean production and profitability for Iowa farmers through coordinated research efforts involving Iowa State, the Iowa Soybean Association and the private sector.
The ISRC Advisory Council is a formal collaboration of Iowa soybean farmers, industry partners, the Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Current industry partners include Ag Ingenuity, Albaugh, AMVAC, BASF, Bayer, Beck’s, BioConnect Iowa, Cornelius Seed, Corteva Agriscience, GDM, Indigo Ag, Innvictis/Simplot, Meristem, Merschman Seeds, Mosaic, Nutrien, Peterson Genetics, Syngenta, UPL and Valent. Each industry partner has a representative on the center’s Advisory Council who serves along with three farmer representatives. The council meets annually to provide feedback on what research should be funded by the center.
Contacts
Kara Berg, Iowa Soybean Research Center, 515-294-8927, kjberg@iastate.edu
Greg Tylka, Iowa Soybean Research Center, 515-294-0878, gltylka@iastate.edu
Christie Wiebbecke, Iowa Soybean Association, 515-334-1082, cwiebbecke@iasoybeans.com