Unravelling Silicon's Transcriptomic Armor in Soybean against Macrophomina phaseolina causing Charcoal Rot Disease

The Glycine max L. has been affected by more than 100 diseases, including Macrophomina phaseolina producing charcoal rot disease, which reduces production by 70%. In this investigation, RNA-Seq analysis is used for the first time to explore role of silicon in preventing soybean charcoal rot. The study explores the molecular mechanism underlying soybeans resilience to charcoal rot when treated with potassium silicon. It was meticulously investigated how Macrophomina phaseolina entered the roots. The SEM, which showed a strong link between potassium silicate accumulation and disease resistance. Further investigation indicates that a potassium silicate concentration of 1.7mM lowers disease incidence. Using Illumina HiSeq NGS data, we present a transcriptome analysis revealing genes associated with charcoal rot resistance, highlighting 3,106 genes with distinct expression patterns. The strong enrichment of pathways including "Biosynthesis of ansamycins" and "Flavone and flavonol biosynthesis," which contribute to resistance against charcoal rot, is highlighted by KEGG enrichment analysis. The ERF transcription factor and NB leucine-rich repeats stands out among the differentially expressed genes as being particularly connected to resistance. The crucial functions that many other important transcription factors, including as MYB, NAC, and proteins from the FAR1 family, play in enhancing soybeans resistance to charcoal rot are also noted. This newly discovered information could help in developing tactics to strengthen soybeans resistance to Macrophomina phaseolina.