Seed Borne Nature of Mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) in Blackgram in Tamil Nadu

The yellow mosaic disease of blackgram caused by Mungbean yellow mosaic virus has emerged as a serious threat to pulses production especially in the South Eastern Asia.  Seed borne nature of MYMV in blackgram seeds was determined using the seeds harvested from a MYMV resistant (either VBN-6 or VBN-8) and susceptible blackgram (CO-5) varieties grown in three different agroclimatic zones of Tamil Nadu in India for three consecutive cropping seasons namely, Rabi 2018 (October- December), Summer 2019 (March-May) and Kharif 2019 (June- August) at three different time intervals viz., 20, 40 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Seed borne nature of MYMV was observed only in the susceptible variety CO-5 and was absent in the   resistant varieties. Transmission of MYMV from infected plant to seeds was observed in all the three parts of the seeds viz., seed coat, cotyledon and embryo. Seeds from infected plants also showed abnormalities like shrinking, discolouration, ill filling inside pods and misshapen appearance.