Genes that make a better bean

Agronomist Jianxin Ma holds a dish of seeds from cultivated soybeans (right) and from their wild, hard-coated progenitors (left). (Purdue Agricultural Communication / Tom Campbell)

10/01/2015 |

Jianxin Ma knows bean genes.

With nearly 20 years of expertise in plant genetics, Ma, professor of agronomy, pinpoints the genes that control key traits such as plant architecture, yield components and disease resistance. While he admits to being easily smitten with any kind of plant, he primarily studies soybeans, one of the most economically important crops in the U.S. and a plant grown by Asian farmers for millennia.

His work is a vital part of the College of Agriculture’s Plant Sciences Research and Education Pipeline, providing the foundational genetic work that can then be used by plant breeders to develop hardier, more nutritious crops.

“I hope our research findings will not only advance the field of knowledge, but also be transferred into practical applications, developing high-yielding soybean varieties with desirable traits for producers around the world,” says Ma, a professor of agronomy.

Plants weren’t on Ma’s radar as a student. Initially keen on studying physics and electrical engineering, he was selected to study crop science at an agricultural college. Within two years hed become fascinated with plants, particularly their genetics, and he completed a doctoral degree in plant genetics and breeding from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing.

One of his latest discoveries is that a mutation in the gene GmHs1-1 causes the tough seed coats of wild soybeans to become permeable. The mutation likely occurred in soybeans about 5,000 years ago and was selected by Asian farmers, an important step to domesticating soybeans from their hard-seeded relative Glycine soja.

Understanding the genetic mechanism that controls seed permeability could help breeders develop better soybean varieties for southern and tropical regions, enrich the crop’s genetic diversity and boost the calcium content and cooking quality of soybeans and other legumes.

The finding could also give researchers better access to the largely untapped genetic diversity of wild soybeans to enrich cultivated varieties, whose lack of genetic richness has curbed improvements in yields.

“We finally understand the genetic change that allowed the domestication of soybeans,” Ma says. “This discovery could help us quickly pinpoint genes that control this trait in many other plants. We’re also excited about the potential applications for modifying the calcium concentration in seed coats.”

Ma enjoys working with students to help them develop and apply critical thinking skills to complex questions and prepare for their future careers. “I am excited to see them complete their study successfully and find a job that they like,” he says.

– Natalie Van Hoose
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