University of Illinois researchers have found a soybean gene that makes the plant resistant to aphids, a discovery that could provide a natural alternative to the application of expensive insecticide.
Soybean seeds carrying the genetic trait could be available within five years, researchers said.
The discovery could help farmers save thousands of dollars spent on chemicals. It costs $12 to $15 per acre to buy and apply insecticide to kill plant-eating aphids, said Ken Dalenberg, who farms in Illinois.
The gene was found among more than 16,000 lines of soybean germplasm stored in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Soybean Germplasm Collection at the university.