Modern Genomics Reshapes Soybean Cyst Nematode Research: Integrating Host Resistance, Nematode Virulence, and Functional Discovery

The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, remains the most damaging pathogen of soybean worldwide. Genomic advances over the past two decades have transformed our understanding of both the nematode and its host. On the soybean side, genome sequencing, pangenome development, and multi-omics studies have clarified how classical resistance loci such as Rhg1 and Rhg4 function while also revealing a broader and more complex landscape of resistance mechanisms. On the nematode side, effector discovery, high-quality genome assemblies, and evolutionary analyses have shed light on how SCN adapts to resistant cultivars and remodels host cellular processes. Despite these advances, overreliance on a single resistance source, PI 88788, continues to accelerate virulence shifts in SCN populations. This underscores the urgent need for diversified resistance, improved monitoring of nematode adaptation, and deeper mechanistic insight into the interaction. In this review, we integrate current knowledge of soybean-SCN interactions across genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, cell biology, and microbiome research. We highlight how integrative functional genomics is reshaping the discovery of resistance genes, clarifying nematode virulence strategies, and guiding the development of more durable management approaches. Finally, we outline emerging directions, including pangenomics, dual host-pathogen analyses, and predictive breeding, that are expected to advance innovation in SCN control. Formula: see text Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.