Epidemiological Concepts and Strategies in Breeding Soybeans for Disease Resistance

The epidemiology of plant disease deals with the dynamic processes of host-pathogen interactions, which determine the prevalence and severity of the disease. Epidemic processes for most foliar diseases of plants follow a series of steps: arrival of pathogens on plant surfaces, initial infection, incubation period, latent period, sporulation, dissemination of secondary inoculum, and infectious period. These complex biological processes are influenced by the environment-Man also often interfers with these processes by altering the host and pathogen populations and the environment. Slowing or halting any of the epidemic processes can delay the development of the epidemic, so that serious losses in yield due to disease do not occur. It is generally recognized that the most effective and efficient method of minimizing disease damage is through the use of resistant cultivars, particularly when other methods such as fungicide applications are not economically feasible-Populations of plant pathogens are not genetically uniform nor are they necessarily stable. Cultivars bred for resistance to current populations of a pathogen may not be resistant in the future due to selection pressures placed on the pathogen populations. Understanding population development and genetic variability in the pathogen, and knowledge of the genetics of resistance in the plant should help in developing breeding strategies that wi1l provide effective and stable disease control through genetic resistance. In the United States, soybeans have ranked first in value of crops sold off the farm in recent years. Soybeans have been the leading U. S.