We have studies glyceollin production in soybean tissue cultures. We are interested in further studying how genes function at the molecular level in soybean disease resistance and how microorganisms infect soybean plants. Studies of nodulation and mycorrhizal infection of soybeans are being carried out to better understand the molecular control of interactions between soybeans and microorganisms. An effort of the laboratory over the last twelve years has been to develop Erwinia herbicola as a seed protectant against Phytophthora . The seeds are coated with the bacteria and when the seeds germinate, the bacteria colonize the developing root system.
Studies are underway to extend the use of Erwinia to control fungal infections in other crops.