Shaun J. Curtin, Yer Xiong, Jean‐Michel Michno, Benjamin W. Campbell, Adrian O. Stec, Tomas Čermák, Colby Starker, Daniel F. Voytas, Andrew L. Eamens, Robert M. Stupar

Processing of double-stranded RNA precursors into small RNAs is an essential regulator of gene expression in plant development and stress response. Small RNA processing requires the combined activity of a functionally diverse group of molecular components. However, in most plant species, there are insufficient mutant resources to functionally characterize each encoding gene. Here, mutations in loci encoding protein machinery involved in small RNA processing in soybean and Medicago truncatula were generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 and TAL-effector nuclease (TALEN) mutagenesis platforms. An efficient CRISPR/Cas9 reagent was used to create a bi-allelic double-mutant for the two soybean paralogous Double-stranded RNA-binding2 (GmDrb2a and GmDrb2b) genes. These mutations, along with a CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutation of the M. truncatula Hua enhancer1 (MtHen1) gene, were determined to be germ-line transmissible. Furthermore, TALENs were used to generate a mutation within the soybean Dicer-like2 gene. CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis of the soybean Dicer-like3 gene and the GmHen1a gene were observed in the T0 generation, but these mutations failed to transmit to the T1 generation. The irregular transmission of induced mutations and the corresponding transgenes was investigated by whole genome sequencing to reveal a spectrum of non-germline targeted mutations and multiple transgene insertion events. Finally, a suite of combinatorial mutant plants were generated by combining the previously reported Gmdcl1a, Gmdcl1b and Gmdcl4b mutants with the Gmdrb2ab double mutant. Altogether, this study demonstrates the synergistic use of different genome engineering platforms to generate a collection of useful mutant plant lines for future study of small RNA processing in legume crops. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.