Advancing Durable Soybean Rust Resistance for African Smallholders and Global Commercial Agriculture

Soybean Rust (SBR), caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, threatens soybean yields globally and is especially damaging to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. While fungicides are widely used in Brazil, African farmers often lack access to chemical control, which makes genetic resistance the most practical and sustainable solution. Resistance breeding in Africa faces major limitations due to poor characterization of local germplasm and the weakness of native resistance genes that provide only partial and short-lived protection. To address this, 2Blades is collaborating with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to support efforts to identify and stack available resistance genes. We are cloning Rpp1-b, the most effective SBR resistance gene identified to date, to enable its introduction into African varieties through breeding or biotechnology. However, to achieve durable protection, we must expand the resistance gene pool by identifying new genes from wild legumes. With over 15 years of expertise in gene discovery and cloning, 2Blades is developing a robust gene discovery pipeline. We are using our NLRseek^TM platform to screen hundreds of wild legume genes against SBR effectors in a high-throughput protoplast assay. Our goal is to develop and deliver durable, multi-gene resistance for both commercial and smallholder farmers in Africa, strengthening soybean’s role in African agriculture and food security.