Divulgação
Apublic-privatepartnershipbetweenEm-
brapa Soybean and Bayer aims to come up
with customized management techniques
for the producers of the different regions in
Brazil to fight two serious problems that cur-
rently affect the Brazilian soybean fields: the
Asian soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhi-
zi) and target spot (Corynespora cassiico-
la). These highly destructive diseases could
cause losses of up to 80%of the crops, along
with increasing farmers’ productioncosts.
Through a study titled “Asian rust and
target spot of soybean”, seven researchers
from Bayer and 17 from Embrapa will an-
alyze the sensitivity of the fungi that cause
these diseases, seeking to understand and
identify the resistancemechanisms of these
pathogens. All research works and tests will
be conductedat thepremises of the compa-
ny, in Londrina (PR). Inparallel, contribution
to the study will be provided by the multi-
national’s development team in Monheim,
Germany, and in Lyon, France.
According to Bayer manager of the ad-
vanced fungicides department, Rogério Bor-
tolan, the main goal consists in identifying
the resistance mechanisms of the microor-
ganisms to allmajor groups of fungicides uti-
lized in the control of soybeandiseases,mak-
EmbrapaSoybeanandBayerenter intoapartnershiptostudytheresistance
of fungi thatcauseseriousproblemstothesoybeanfieldsacrossBrazil
On the productive map
Through the study, “Asian rust and target spot of soybean”, Embrapa Soybean and Bayer
are planning to map the soybean growing regions in Brazil, collecting fungi samples in these
fields to analyze their behavior in different environments. The idea is to come up with cus-
tomizedmanagement techniques for the producers of every different region, aswell as defin-
ing the soybean growing areaswith potential risk of developing resistance to fungicides. “The
studyisontherighttrackintendedtoconquerahugechallengethattheindustryisnowfacing,
consisting in ensuring the sustainability of the available tools for keeping the soybean crops
under control”, argues theagronomicdevelopment director at Bayer, BernardJacqmin.
Joining forces
to win
ingitpossibletoanticipatetheintroductionof
anti-resistance strategies to the solutions. “We
hopetoachievevariousresults,liketheidenti-
ficationofthegenome(setofgenes)ofrustref-
erencetoP.Pachyrhizi”,heexemplifies.
Inpursuitofmoreeffectivesolutions,the
idea is to identifymutation points in specif-
icgenome sequences and resistancemech-
anisms, besides theoccurrenceof sensitivi-
ty loss of fungi to products utilized in crop
farming in Brazil. Researcher MaurícioMey-
er, from Embrapa Soybean, understands
that genetic sequencing of the fungus that
causes Asian rust is a huge challenge taken
up by the project, considering the size and
complexity of its genome.
Researcher Francismar Marcelino, from
Embrapa Soybean, reiterates that the basis
of sequencing will be an old fungal isolate,
which has possibly sufferedmilder selective
pressure stemming from successive fun-
gicide applications. At a second moment,
parts of the genome isolates collected in
Brazil and in other countries over the past
decade, will be re-sequenced, with different
fungicide virulence and sensitivity profiles.
“By obtaining the genome reference of
the fungus, followed by the re-sequenc-
ing of the different isolates, we hope to de-
cipher the biology of the fungus and un-
derstand its complex interaction with host
plants, besides broadening our compre-
hension on its adaptability, evolution and
genetic diversity”, he explains. This is the
second research conducted in partnership
with Embrapa and Bayer, which signed a
cooperation agreement involving studies
focused on agriculture, inMay 2016.
Public andprivate research
is focused on Asian soybean
rust and target spot
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