Entity evidence for differentiation between Tia and Tib types of soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor: detection of a novel transitional variant type between Tia and Tib in wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. & Zucc.)

Soybean Kunit trypsin inhibitor (SKTI) has several polymorphic types. Of these SKTI, there are large differences of nine amino acid substitutions between Tia and Tib. So far no transitional type between them has been found. A novel transitional intermediate variant between Tia and Tib was detected in 11 lines from 720 Japanese wild soybeans (Glycine soja Sieb. & Zucc.). This variant showed identical electrophoretic mobility to Tib in the Davis system polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), but higher electric points than other SKTI proteins (Tia, Tib, Tic) in isoelectric focusing PAGE. The genetic analysis of SKTI in F₂ seeds from a cross between the novel variant type and Tib showed that this variant type is inherited as codominant alleles in a multiple allelic system at an SKTI locus. This variant also showed inhibitory activity to trypsin. We propose the genetic symbol Ti b ⁱ⁵ for this novel variant. The sequence analysis of Tib ⁱ⁵ revealed that six nucleotides were different between Tib ⁱ⁵ and Tia, and the nucleotides of these mutated positions were identical to Tib. This causes substitution of five amino acids at the residue position 62 (Tyr→Phe), 74 (Ser→Arg), 114 (Met→Val), 120 (Leu→Ile) and 137 (Pro→Thr). These substitutive amino acids are completely in accord with the amino acids of Tib, showing that Tib ⁱ⁵ is an intermediate between Tia and Tib types. Tib ⁱ⁵ type is widely distributed throughout seven separate areas from northeast to southwest Japan with a 1.5% frequency of total materials examined. This indicated that Tib ⁱ⁵ type did not originate from a recent mutation event, but had spread in wild soybean from ancient times.     

Rhizobium inoculant for soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] in Mekong Delta

Summary Rhizobial inoculation trials were conducted in an acid heavy clay soil in Mekong Delta, Viet Nam, using peat based inoculants produced locally and the commercial granular product of Nitragin CCo., Wisconsin, USA. The pH of these soils ranged from 4.5 to 5.1. Two soybean cultivars, MTD₆ and MTD₁₀, were tested as host plants. There were no significant differences between locally made inoculant treated plants and the uninoculated controls in both cultivars. But, the Nitragin inoculation improved all plant characteristics examined in both cultivars. Grain yields of Nitragin inoculated plants of cultivar MTD₆ and cultivar MTD₁₀ were 6.5 and 5.5 times as much as those of the controls; protein content of grain increased 11 and 16 percent, respectively. Well nodulated plants had shorter life cycles, flowering durations, and days to flowering. The Rhizobium symbiosis resulted in an additional 153 kg grain-N/ha. These studies show that a surface coated commercial multistrain inoculant can be used to successfully grow soybeans in the acid, heavy clay soils of the Mekong Delta.     

Apical proliferation of embryogenic tissue of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Somatic embryos and embryogenic tissues were initiated from immature zygotic embryos of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill cv. Fayette]. Zygotic embryos were placed on a medium containing 40 mg/l of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 6% sucrose. Somatic embryos were first seen 4 weeks after cultures were initiated. Following transfer, secondary somatic embryos proliferated directly from the apical or terminal portions of the older primary somatic embryos. Single somatic embryos or clusters of embryos were seen growing directly from the top of older somatic embryos. Light microscopy revealed that these embryos were of surface or subsurface origin. The apical soybean somatic embryo tissue may represent cotyledonary tissue (which has been shown to be most responsive) at a very young and manipulatable state.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid Salaries and research support were provided by state and federal funds appropriated to OARDC-OSU. Journal Article No. 131-87     

Sonication-assisted Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] embryogenic suspension culture tissue

Successful transformation of plant tissue using Agrobacterium relies on several factors including bacterial infection, host recognition, and transformation competency of the target tissue. Although soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] embryogenic suspension cultures have been transformed via particle bombardment, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of this tissue has not been demonstrated. We report here transformation of embryogenic suspension cultures of soybean using “Sonication-Assisted Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation” (SAAT). For SAAT of suspension culture tissue, 10–20 embryogenic clumps (2–4 mm in diameter) were inoculated with 1 ml of diluted (OD_600nm 0.1–0.5) log phase Agrobacterium and sonicated for 0–300 s. After 2 days of co-culture in a maintenance medium containing 100 μM acetosyringone, the medium was removed and replaced with fresh maintenance medium containing 400 mg/l Timentin^?. Two weeks after SAAT, the tissue was placed in maintenance medium containing 20 mg/l hygromycin and 400 mg/l Timentin^?, and the medium was replenished every week thereafter. Transgenic clones were observed and isolated 6–8 weeks following SAAT. When SAAT was not used, hygromycin-resistant clones were not obtained. Southern hybridization analyses of transformed embryogenic tissue confirmed T-DNA integration. Received: 22 August 1997 / Revision received: 22 October 1997 / Accepted: 11 November 1997     

Somatic embryogenesis from cultured epicotyls and primary leaves of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Summary Regeneration of several varieties of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] by somatic embryogenesis from cultured epicotyls and primary leaves has been demonstrated. Somatic embryogenesis was induced from epicotyls and primary leaves when cotyledon halves with the intact zygotic embryo axes were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 10 mg 1⁻¹ (45.2 μM) 2,4-D. Stable, continuously proliferating globular embryo cultures (GEC) were established from small groups of somatic embryos on MS medium supplemented with 20 mg 1⁻¹ (90.5 μM) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Rapid multiplication of shoot tips from germinating somatic embryos was achieved on Cheng’s basal medium (CBO) containing 2.5 mg 1⁻¹ (11.3 μM) 6-benzyladenine. Fertile plants were obtained from individual somatic embryos and in vitro propagated adventitious shoot bud cultures.     

Nitric oxide donor regulates Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation efficiency in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

The present study investigates the potentiality of Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) to enhance the efficiency of genetic transformation in soybean. Half-seeds cultured on co-cultivation [4.44 μM N⁶-benzyl adenine (BA) and 30 μM SNP]; shoot induction (4.44 μM BA and 30 μM SNP) and rooting medium [4.93 μM indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) and 30 μM SNP] exhibited improved transformation efficiency (34.6%) in contrast to the regeneration system devoid of SNP (23%). The putatively transformed plants were evaluated by GUS assay and molecular analysis like PCR and Southern hybridization. Furthermore, the transformation system developed herein entails a shorter period (75-days) for developing plantlets from half-seeds of soybean. The outcome of this study revealed that the addition of SNP increased regeneration efficiency of plants, which translated to improved transformation efficiency in soybean.

     

Control of Seed Growth in Soya Beans [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

The seed is the primary sink for photosynthate during reproductivegrowth and an understanding of the mechanisms controlling therate of seed growth is necessary to understand completely theyield production process. The growth rate of individual seedsof seven soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cultivars withgenetic differences in seed size varied from 10.8 to 3.9 mgseed^–1 day^–1. The growth rates were highly correlatedwith final seed size. The growth rate of cotyledons culturedin a complete nutrient medium was highly correlated with thegrowth rate of seeds developing on the plant and with finalseed size. The number of cells per seed in the cotyledons variedfrom 10.2 to 5.7 x 10⁶ across the seven cultivars. The numberof cells per seed in the cotyledons was significantly correlatedwith final seed size and the seed growth rate both on the plantand in the culture medium. The data suggest that genetic differencesin seed growth rates are controlled by the cotyledons and thenumber of cells in the cotyledons may be the mechanism of control. Glycine max L., soya bean, seed size, growth rate, cell number, sink activity     

Transformation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] using proliferative embryogenic tissue maintained on semi-solid medium

Summary Transgenic soybean can be efficiently produced by particle bombardment of embryogenic suspension culture material. Unfortunately, the time required to obtain a transformation-competent soybean suspension culture line is often lengthy and can result in reduced fertility of regenerated plants. In addition, establishment and maintenance of embryogenic suspension cultures can be very difficult. The objective of this work was to minimize the time required to obtain transformation-competent embryogenic tissue and optimize DNA delivery into that tissue. Somatic embryos were induced from immature cotyledons of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill cv ‘Jack’] by placement of cotyledons, adaxial side up, on a MS-based induction medium containing 40 mg (181 μM) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) per 1 and 6% sucrose. Embryogenic tissues, which formed from the surface of the cotyledons within 2–4 wk, were transferred to an embryo proliferation medium containing 20 mg (90 μM) 2,4-D per 1 and 3% sucrose. After 4 wk, proliferative embryogenic tissue could be used for transformation via particle bombardment. Desiccation of target tissue, period of subculture prior to bombardment, and the number of bombardments per target tissue were evaluated for enhancement of transient β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression. The highest number of blue foci was observed when the target tissue was desiccated for 10 min in an uncovered Petri plate containing proliferation medium, subcultured on the same day of bombardment, and bombarded three times on a single day. For stable transformation, selection was started 20 d after bombardment using 9 mg hygromycin per 1 for 4 wk, and 18 mg per 1 thereafter. Stably transformed clones were obtained from tissue bombarded once and twice on a single day. GUS assays and Southern hybridization analysis of DNA from putative clones confirmed stable integration of the introduced genes. Fertile transgenic plants were obtained in 11–12 mo following culture initiation.     

Diallel analysis for aluminium tolerance in tropical soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

The soybean is a major crop in the agricultural systems of the Brazilian Cerrados (Savannahs), whose soils are acidic, devoid of nutrients and need to be amended before they are cultivated. However, below the ploughed layer there is a scarcity of nutrients and toxic aluminium (Al). These limit root growth, subsequently causing nutritional imbalance and drought stress. Our aim in the investigation described here was to identify genetic differences in the aluminium tolerance of soybeans by a 9 × 9 diallel cross among contrasting varieties grown in high-Al areas and in hydroponics. Combining ability analysis indicated predominantly additive gene effects, and the additive-dominance model explained most of the genetic differences in this germ plasm for mineral element absorption and root growth under aluminium stress. The relationship between the two factors suggest that conjugation hydroponics and field evaluations in breeding programmes would further improve soybeans with respect to yield stability under tropical cultivation conditions.     

Quantitative detection of transgenes in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by real-time polymerase chain reaction

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were designed that enabled the zygosity of transgenes in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) to be determined. The two zygosity assays, based on TaqMan technology that uses a fluorogenic probe which hybridizes to a PCR target sequence flanked by primers, were both accurate and reproducible in the determination of the number of transgenes present in a cell line. In the first assay, in which TaqMan assays were performed on increasing amounts of a plasmid containing the transgene of interest, a linear relationship between the level of fluorescence and the template amount was produced. Using the resultant linear relationships as standard curves, we were able to determine the zygosity of both soybeans segregating for the cry1Ac transgene and that of a T₁ peanut segregating for the hph transgene. In the second assay, a relative determination of copy number (referred to as comparative Ct) was performed on transgenic soybeans by comparing the amplification efficiency of the transgene of interest to that of an endogenous gene in a multiplexed PCR reaction. Both methods proved to be sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between homozygotes and hemizygotes. These assays have numerous potential applications in plant genetic engineering and tissue culture, including the hastening of the identification of transgenic tissue, selecting transformation events with a low number of transgenes and the monitoring of the transmission of transgenes in subsequent crosses.     

Characterization of novel cysteine proteases from germinating cotyledons of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill].

The enzymatic properties of novel cysteine proteases D3-alpha and beta which were purified from germinating soybean cotyledons were investigated. The enzyme activities were exhibited in the presence of a thiol reagent, such as 2-mercaptoethanol, and apparently inhibited by E-64, a cysteine protease inhibitor. Hydrolytic activities toward carbobenzoxy-Phe-Arg-MCA were detected at a pH above 4.0. The optimum temperature for activities was about 40 degrees C. The isoelectric point of D3-alpha and beta was 4.4 and 4. 7, respectively. The molecular mass of D3-alpha and beta, measured by MALDI/TOF mass spectrometry, was 26,178 and 26,429 Da, respectively. The substrate specificities of the enzymes were examined using peptide-MCAs and peptides, and cathepsin L-like broad specificity was observed at pH 4.0. These results demonstrated that these enzymes are cysteine endopeptidases [EC 3.4.22.-] like papain [EC 3.4.22.2].     

A novel Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation method of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] using primary-node explants from seedlings

A novel Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation method using a primary-node explant from Dairyland cultivar 93061 was developed for soybean using the disarmed Agrobacterium strain SHA17. Transformed plants regenerated from explants inoculated with SHA17 were fertile and phenotypically normal. In a comparative experiment, regeneration frequencies were not significantly different between explants inoculated with A. rhizogenes strain SHA17 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain AGL1; however, a 3.5-fold increase in transformation efficiency [(number of Southern or TaqMan-positive independent events/total number of explants inoculated) × 100] was found for explants cocultured with SHA17 compared to AGL1 (6.6 and 1.64%, respectively). Southern analysis of 48 T₀ plants suggested that 37.5, 23, and 39.6% of the T₀ plants contained 1, 2, and 3 or more T-DNA fragments integrated into the genome, respectively. Additionally, T₁ progeny analysis of 8 independent events resulted in typical Mendelian inheritance of T-DNA genes. Of seven T₀ plants that had two or more T-DNA fragments, six contained multiple loci segregating in T₁ progenies. Further analysis of four lines confirmed the presence of PAT, GUS, and/or DsRED2 proteins in transgenic plants that were encoded on the T-DNA into the T₂ generation.     

Cytokinin inhibition of respiration by cells and mitochondria of soybean,Glycine max (L.) Merrill

Cells of a soybean tissue strain, suspended in an aerated liquid medium, caused disappearance of p-coumaric acid from the medium and oxidation of guaiacol, benzidine, pyrogallol, L-dihydroxyphenylalanine and L-epinephrine. Both the disappearance and the oxidations were inhibited by 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) at a concentration of 0.5 mM. BAP at other concentrations either promoted or inhibited oxidation of epinephrine in precisely the pattern reported earlier for the disappearance of coumarate; therefore, the disappearance of coumarate probably involves its oxidation. The effectiveness of other cytokinins in inhibiting the oxidation was studied.At 0.5 mM, and perhaps even at 0.5 M, some of the several cytokinins tested inhibited oxygen consumption by the soybean cells. This inhibition, which did not require any of the above metabolizable compounds, was especially marked in the presence of cyanide, azide or Antimycin A, and was detectable in 10 min or less. Either Antimycin A or salicylhydroxamic acid alone promoted O₂ consumption but together they were quite inhibitory. The soybean cells apparently have an alternate respiratory pathway and cytokinins may influence its operation.Several cytokinins at 0.5 mM, and perhaps at 0.5 M, also inhibited oxygen consumption by mitochondrial preparations from the soybean cells, the inhibition being evident in about 20 s. The consumption required a substrate such as malate, succinate or NADH. Cytokinins and related compounds varied in effectiveness as follows: BAP and 6-isopentenyla-minopurine 9-tetrahydropyranyl-BAP > kinetin, ribosyl-isopentenylaminopurine, 9-methyl-BAP and 9-methoxymethyl-BAP > 6,6-dimethylaminopurine and zeatin (slight activity) > 6-methylaminopurine, nicotinamide and adenine (ineffective). To a great extent this order parallels the order of effectiveness of the compounds in causing cell division. Mitochondria, therefore, may contain a site for an important cytokinin action.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - IPA 6-(²-isopentenyl)aminopurine     

Diallel analysis for mineral element absorption in tropical adapted soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

The Brazilian tropical adapted soybeans contains, in addition to superior morphological characters, genetic factors for tolerance to cultivation in acidic, mineral-stressed soils. However, the selection process for these hindrances has been empirical, and information on the genetics of mineral element uptake by the plant is necessary. The objective of this investigation was to identify the mode of inheritance for the absorption of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, aluminium, manganese, zinc and copper in a 9 × 9 diallel cross. General combining ability (GCA) was higher than specific combining ability (SCA), with the exception of copper, manganese and zinc, indicating predominantly additive effects. The ratios of GCA/SCA varied between 3.4 (calcium) and 8.5 (magnesium). The regression of covariance (W_r) on variance (V_r) showed that the additive-dominance model explained the genetic differences in this germ plasm. However, the detection of overdominance could be related to possible heterozygosity in the parental varieties for mineral absorption. Broad-sense heritability values were higher than narrow sense heritability values for aluminium, iron, potassium, calcium and magnesium, being in the range of 67.9–86.9% and 42.0–56.6%, respectively. This is an indication that soybeans can be further improved to efficient utilisation of nutrients and to tolerate toxic factors in the soil.     

Allelic differentiation of Kunitz trypsin inhibitor in wild soybean (Glycine soja)

Soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI) has several polymorphic types, which are controlled by co-dominant multiple alleles at a single locus. Of these types, Tia and Tib are predominant types, and there are nine differences in amino acids between Tia and Tib. Recently, an intermediate transitional type (Tib ( i5 )) between them was detected. However, other transitional types have not been detected despite surveys of many cultivated and wild soybeans. One of the reasons why other transitional variants have not been found is inferred to be due to the difficulty of the detection of SKTI protein variants by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). To detect novel variants of SKTI, nucleotide sequence analysis in addition to PAGE was carried out. Four new variants were found from many Japanese wild soybeans. Of these variants, three (designated as Tia ( a1 ), Tia ( a2 ), Tia ( b1 )) were detected through gene sequence analysis on wild soybeans having the same electrophoretic mobility as Tia, and one (Tig) was detected through PAGE. The Tig variant showed a slightly lower electrophoretic mobility than Tic. The nucleotide sequences of Tig were identical to those of Tib except for one T --> C transitional mutation at position +340. The sequences of Tia ( a1 )and Tia ( a2 ) genes were identical to those of Tia with the exception of a G --> A mutation at position +376 and a T --> C mutation at +404, respectively. The sequence of Tia ( b1 ) differed from Tia by three nucleotides: C --> A at position +331, T --> C at +459 and A --> G at +484. Of the three nucleotide changes, two were common to Tia ( b1 ), Tib ( i5 ) and Tib, suggesting that Tia ( b1 ) is an intermediate transitional type between Tia and Tib. Our results suggest that Tib type has been differentiated through a series of mutations from Tia before the domestication of cultivated soybean.     

Development of an embryogenic suspension culture of soybean (Glycine max Merrill.)

A rapidly growing, maintainable, embryogenic suspension culture of Glycine max L. Merrill. has been generated. The culture consisted almost entirely of clumps of proliferating globular embryos with very little nonembryogenic tissues. The number and size of somatic embryo clumps were used to quantify growth of embryogenic tissues under various conditions. Initiation and proliferation of this embryogenic suspension culture were dependent on the inoculum, method of subculture, and composition of the subculture medium. Twenty to 50 mg of highly embryogenic, early-staged soybean tissue were inoculated into 35 ml of liquid culture medium containing 5 mg 1^–1 2,4-D and either 15 mM glutamine or preferably 5 mM asparagine. Suspension cultures were subcultured at the same inoculum density every 4 weeks. The embryos matured and germinated following placement on solid media, resulting in consistent plant regeneration.     

Development ofBradyrhizobium infections in supernodulating and non-nodulating mutants of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill)

Summary The early events in the development of nodules induced byBradyrhizobium japonicum were studied in serial sections of a wild type (cv. Bragg), a supernodulating mutant (nts 382) and four non-nodulating mutants (nod49, nod139, nod772, andrj ₁) of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill). Cultivar Bragg responded to inoculation in a similar manner to that described previously for cv. Williams; centres of sub-epidermal cell divisions were observed both with and without associated infection threads and most infection events were blocked before the formation of a nodule meristem. The non-nodulating mutants (nod49, nod772, andrj ₁) had, at most, a few centres of sub-epidermal cell divisions. In general, these were devoid of infection threads and did not develop beyond the very early stages of nodule ontogeny. Sub-epidermal cell divisions or infection threads were never observed on mutant nodl39. This mutant is not allelic to the other non-nodulating mutants and represents a defect in a separate complementation group or gene that is required for nodulation. The supernodulating mutant nts382, which is defective in autoregulation of nodulation, had a similar number of sub-epidermal cell divisions as the wild-type Bragg, but a much greater proportion of these developed to an advanced stage of nodule ontogeny. Mutant nts382, like Bragg, possessed other infection events that were arrested at an early stage of development. The results are discussed in the context of the progression of events in nodule formation and autoregulation of nodulation in soybean.Abbreviations nts nitrate tolerant symbiosis - RT root tip (i.e., position of the tap root tip at the time of inoculation) - SERH shortest emerging root hair (i.e., position of the shortest emerging root hair on the tap root at the time of inoculation) - SCD subepidermal cell divisions     

Genetic characterization of a novel Tib-derived variant of soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor detected in wild soybean (Glycine soja).

A novel variant of soybean Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (SKTI) was detected in 530 lines of wild soybean (Glycine soja). This variant showed an intermediate electrophoretic mobility between the Tia and Tic types. In isoelectric focusing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels containing urea, this variant had a similar isoelectric point as that of Tia. The genetic analysis of SKTI bands in F2 seeds from crosses of the new variant type with Tia or Tic type showed that this variant type is controlled by a codominant allele at the SKTI locus. We propose the genetic symbol Tif for this novel variant. When the nucleotide sequence of the Tif gene was compared with those of other types of SKTI genes (Tia, Tib, and Tic), the sequence of Tif was identical to that of Tib with the exception of one A-->G transitional mutation occurring at position 676 of Tif. This mutation resulted in an amino acid change from Lys to Glu at the 178 residue. These results suggest that this variant is derived from Tib through a point mutation. In addition, we settled an inconsistency in the number of amino acid differences between Tia and Tib (eight or nine). Analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequences revealed that Tib was different from Tia by nine amino acids.     

Pod and Seed Mycoflora on Transgenic and Conventional Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cultivars in Mississippi

A 2-year (1999-2000) study was conducted at Starkville and Stoneville, MS to determine if the occurrence of the mycoflora varied on Roundup Ready (transgenic) compared to conventional soybean (Glycine max) cultivars. A total of 7,658 fungal isolates were identified from the pod and seed tissues of four cultivars compared at growth stages R6 and R8. Ninety-nine percent of all fungi isolated were mitosporic fungi and ascomycetes. In both years, total fungal isolates from the two locations were greater from the pod (65%) than from seed (33%) tissues. Isolation frequency from conventional cultivars was 54% compared to 46% for the transgenic cultivars. The most common fungi identified that are reported pathogens of soybean included Alternaria, Cercospora, Cladosporium, Diaporthe, Fusarium and Verticillium spp. When main effects and interactions were compared among the frequency data for the fungal genera, significant differences occurred, but consistent trends were not noted. Isolation frequencies of Diaporthe spp. during the R6 growth stage, were significantly greater on the conventional than on the transgenic cultivars in both years of the study, but only at Starkville. Isolation frequencies from samples taken during the R8 growth stage were similar at both locations in 1999 and 2000. Fusarium spp. isolated at R6 and R8 growth stages from pod and seed tissues were significantly greater on conventional than on transgenic cultivars in 2000. Even though frequencies were often significantly different between the transgenic and conventional cultivars, the data was not consistent between locations, pod and seed tissues, or growth stages. The pod and seed mycoflora of transgenic and conventional soybean cultivars was, therefore, similar in Mississippi.