Expansive Project to Sequence 400 Soybean Genomes for Climate Resilient Future

An expansive project led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI) plans to sequence 400 soybean genomes to create a “pangenome” in an attempt to characterize all the useful diversity within the genome. The hopes are that by gathering and organizing a total genomic map, that knowledge will lead to the creation of an even more resilient crop for the future.

The soybean pangenome project will initially sequence and analyze at least 50 soybean genomes from cultivated lines and their wild relatives at reference quality - the gold standard of modern-day sequencing. A further 350 genomes will then be sequenced as high-quality drafts by the JGI, with the overall plan to be to include a diverse set including perennial relatives and lines selected for yields under harsh conditions, preparing the industry to shift toward a climate resilient future.

The team stated that it intends to consult with the global soybean breeding community, including industry partners, to decide the priority lines to include, aiming ultimately to drastically improve the current soybean reference genome, empowering researchers and breeders to directly select for otherwise hidden genetic variations.

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