The heterologous expression of a Glycine max homolog of NONEXPRESSOR OF PR1 (NPR1) and α-hydroxynitrile glucosidase suppresses parasitism by the root pathogen Meloidogyne incognita in Gossypium hirsutum

Gm-NPR1-2 overexpression in G. max effectively suppresses parasitism by H. glycines . The heterologous expression of Gm-NPR1-2 in Gossypium hirsutum impairs the ability of the parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita to form root galls, egg sacs, eggs and second-stage juvenile (J2) nematodes.

In related experiments, a G. max β-glycosidase (Gm-βg-4) related to Lotus japonicus secreted defense gene α-hydroxynitrile glucosidase LjBGD7 suppresses M. incognita parasitism. The results identify a cumulative negative effect that the transgenes have on M. incognita parasitism and demonstrate that the G. max – H. glycines pathosystem is a useful tool to identify defense genes that function in other agriculturally relevant plant species to plant parasitic nematodes with different strategies of parasitism.