Identification and Molecular Validation of Bean Common Mosaic Virus Resistant Donors in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting common bean cultivation. The disease has assumed significance in present changing climatic scenario in western Himalaya. This virus propagates non-persistently through aphids and can also be transmitted via seeds. Employing resistant plant varieties emerges as the most efficacious strategy in combating these viral pathogens. In the present investigation a subset of 100 genotypes were phenotypically assessed against BCMV followed by artificially inoculating genotypes that demonstrated BCMV field resistance. The evaluation relied upon the Horsfall and Barrett scale (Phytopathol 3:105–110, 1945) for its phenotypic screening. Furthermore, molecular analysis was employed to validate the presence of BCMV, utilizing two distinct primers specific to the virus. Out of one hundred selected genotypes only seven genotypes (WB-1310, GLRB, Tr-1129, Tr-34, SFB-1, Arka Komal, and WB-437) demonstrated resistance to BCMV. The identified resistant genotypes shall serve as donors for transfer of resistance to BCMV in commercial varieties though marker assisted backcross breeding programme.