Soybean nodules provide an ideal system to dissect RNA-mediated regulation of symbiosis. Building upon the latest results from my lab (DelPercio et al. 2025), in the short term, I will focus on validating our biomarker RNAs that distinguish phases of nitrogen fixation and senescence, and on applying spatial transcriptomics to map gene expression within nodules at cellular resolution. These are achievable goals that will produce immediate mechanistic insights and practical markers for breeding. We have also identified several candidate genes that are master regulators of nodule senescence and could increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency, making Soybean culture more sustainable. We will use forward genetic studies to validate these genes. 

Over the longer horizon, I aim to translate these findings into strategies to prolong nitrogen fixation in Soybean elite varieties and perhaps even extend this capacity to non-legumes. The higher-risk direction here is to test whether plants can be engineered to delay nodule senescence or rewire plant–microbe communication. While ambitious, such approaches could significantly reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers.