Key message: Eight soybean genomic regions, including six never before reported, were found to be associated with resistance to soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) in the southeastern USA. Soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi is one of the most important foliar diseases of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Although seven Rpp resistance gene loci have been reported, extensive pathotype variation in and among fungal populations increases the importance of identifying additional genes and loci associated with rust resistance. One hundred and ninety-one soybean plant introductions from Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, and 65 plant introductions from other countries were screened for resistance to P. pachyrhizi under field conditions in the southeastern USA between 2008 and 2015. The results indicated that 84, 69, and 49% of the accessions from southern Japan, Vietnam or central Indonesia, respectively, had negative BLUP values, indicating less disease than the panel mean. A genome-wide association analysis using SoySNP50K Infinium BeadChip data identified eight genomic regions on seven chromosomes associated with SBR resistance, including previously unreported regions of Chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 9, 13, and 15, in addition to the locations of the Rpp3 and Rpp6 loci. The six unreported genomic regions might contain novel Rpp loci. The identification of additional sources of rust resistance and associated genomic regions will further efforts to develop soybean cultivars with broad and durable resistance to soybean rust in the southern USA.

Field pea, a key pulse crop for sustainable agriculture, faces significant production challenges due to drought, exacerbated by extreme climatic changes. This study evaluated 17 field pea plant introductions (PIs) and two commercial varieties under greenhouse conditions to assess their performance, determine the relationships between agronomic traits and grain yield (GY), and identify genotypes with stable yields under drought stress. Two water treatments were applied: 100% field capacity for well-watered (WW) and 60% field capacity for water deficit (WD) conditions, with drought stress imposed 21 days after planting. Significant genotypic variation was observed under both conditions. Water deficit significantly reduced GY, the number of pods per plant (NPP), plant height (PH), aboveground dry vegetative biomass (ADVB), and days to maturity (DTM) while increasing stomatal density on both adaxial (SD.ADX) and abaxial leaf surfaces (SD.ABX). Traits associated with GY in WW, such as NPP, PH, ADVB, and SD.ADX, showed stronger correlations under WD, with DTM being significantly associated with GY only in WD. Top-performing genotypes in both conditions exhibited higher pod numbers, increased aboveground dry vegetative biomass, late maturity, and lower adaxial stomatal density. Notably, PI 272215 was identified as a top performer under both conditions, with an 88% yield stability index. PI 180702 demonstrated comparable performance to PI 272215 but with no yield loss under the same conditions. These findings can be used for future field pea breeding programs aimed at developing drought-tolerant field pea varieties.

Soybean ( Glycine max ) is a globally important crop, yet its productivity is highly susceptible to drought stress, particularly in rainfed systems. To better understand the biochemical basis of drought tolerance, this study employed pathway‐based metabolomics to characterize differentially expressed metabolites between drought‐tolerant and susceptible soybean genotypes and to identify underlying mechanisms. Metabolite profiles of leaves collected from both watered and drought‐stressed conditions were analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Discriminant metabolites were identified through multivariate statistical analysis and pathway mapping. Principal component analysis revealed distinct metabolic variation primarily under drought stress, indicating that drought‐tolerant genotypes engage in active metabolic reprogramming in response to water deficit. Overall, the metabolic responses of drought‐tolerant genotypes were less pronounced than those of susceptible ones, suggesting a more selectively managed allocation of metabolic resources in the tolerant genotypes. Pathway analysis indicated that tolerant genotypes selectively enhanced specific primary and secondary metabolic processes, including central carbon metabolism, shikimate pathway–associated metabolites, and specific amino acid pools, while also displaying divergent allocation within phenylpropanoid (secondary metabolism) and branched‐chain amino acid pathways (primary metabolism). Both tolerant and susceptible cultivars exhibited shared drought responses, including hormonal activation, lipid remodeling, accumulation of phenylpropanoid intermediates, and osmoprotective amino acids. This study demonstrates that drought adaptation arises from the interplay between conserved biochemical adjustments and genotype‐specific reprogramming in primary and secondary metabolism, providing metabolite‐level insights that can guide future large‐scale field studies aimed at selecting genotypes for drought tolerance using biomarkers.

With education debt repayment taking up a significant amount of veterinarians' salaries, for a significant time into the working years, concern has been building that the current debt to starting salary ratio in the veterinary profession is not sustainable. The current ratio is 1.99:1, but it can be significantly higher for students who attend schools as an out-of-state resident. In April, 180 people concerned about this issue gathered at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine for a Fix the Debt Summit, which focused on actions that would reduce this ratio to a more sustainable level. Attendees were students; new graduates; those working in veterinary academia; employers of veterinarians; and those affiliated with the profession, such as professional associations. As solutions were proposed, participants also committed to taking action within their field of influence.

Nuña beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are a class of common beans found in South America. They are grown in the mountainous areas of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. Nuña beans are unique because of their ability to “pop” after being exposed to heat. This produces a toasted edible snack that is soft-textured. Nuña bean preparation has reduced requirements for cook time and for fuel making them more energy-efficient compared to other types of dry beans. Scientists have been working to remove the photoperiod-sensitive gene that is found in traditional nuña beans, while at the same time retaining the popping trait for cultivation in the U.S. to be possible. Evaluation of popping bean field performance data, greenhouse performance data, and popping protocols and characteristics of beans cultivated in the U.S. will (1) increase awareness of popping beans as a nutritious source of both protein and dietary fiber as well as an alternative dry bean market class and (2) contribute to knowledge about factors that impact consumption of dry edible beans.