[Mapping and cloning of low phosphorus tolerance genes in soybeans]

Soybean is a major source of edible oil and phytoprotein. Low phosphorus available in soil is an important factor limiting the current soybean production. Effective ways to solve the problem include identification of germplasms and genes tolerant to low-phosphorus stress, and cultivation of soybean varieties with high phosphorus efficiency. Recently many researches have been carrying out investigations to map and clone genes related to phosphorus efficiency in soybeans. However, due to the complexity of the soybean genome and little knowledge of functional genes, it has been difficult to understand the mechanism of soybean tolerance to low phosphorus. Although quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping related to low phosphorus tolerance has made some progress, it remains elusive to obtain accurate candidate genes for molecular breeding applications, due to the limited accuracy of QTL. Even for the cloned soybean low phosphorus tolerance genes, the molecular mechanisms are largely unknown, further limiting the application to breeding. In this review, we summarize the progresses on mapping, cloning and functional characterization of soybean low phosphorus tolerance genes.