Screening of Soybean Genotypes Against Yellow Mosaic Virus Disease Under Field Conditions

Glycine max [L.] Merrill is a nutritionally enrich leguminous crop, playing a pivotal part in food, feed and industrial sectors. In India, its status has escalated owing to high adaptability, nitrogen-fixing capability and economic returns. However, production is significantly constrained by Yellow Mosaic Virus (YMV), a major viral disease transmitted by whitefly (Bemisia tabaci), leading to chlorosis, stunted growth and severe yield losses. The present investigation aimed to evaluate sixty soybean genotypes for putative resistance to YMV under natural epiphytotic field conditions during the kharif, 2024. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two replications. Genotypes were assessed employing the 0–9 scale for disease severity, and categorized accordingly. Results revealed substantial genetic variability against YMV disease response. Thirty-four genotypes were found highly resistant, 7 resistant, 11 moderately resistant, 6 moderately susceptible and 2 susceptible. The presence of a wide range of reactions highlights the diversity in resistance mechanisms and offers promising material for performing resistance breeding. This study highlights the importance of continuous field screening to identify and utilize resistant genotype (s). The highly resistant genotypes identified can serve as vital donors in breeding programmes aimed to develop durable YMV-resistant cultivars. Future efforts integrating molecular markers and genomic tools with phenotypic selection may be instrumental in accelerating the development of resilient soybean varieties for sustainable production in YMV-endemic areas.