PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper), also known as urdbean, stands as a significant pulse crop cultivated globally. Among the viral diseases documented in blackgram, Urdbean Leaf Crinkle Disease (ULCD) emerges as particularly devastating, leading to substantial economic losses contingent upon factors such as seasonal variations and cultivated varieties. In this study, six cultivars of urdbean (M114, M218, M338, T9, N7, and M1008) were subjected to scrutiny regarding their growth and yield-related attributes under ULCD infection. Employing a randomized block design (RBD), data pertaining to each yield-contributing factor were meticulously recorded from both healthy and infected urdbean plants and analysed using two way ANOVA. A pronounced reduction across all yield parameters was noted in virus-infected plants, manifesting in diminished plant height by 2.02-37.01%, pod size by 1.10-51.30%, seed/pod ratio by 4.41-61.46%, 100-seed weight by 2.73%-51.37%, pod number per plant by 3.72-63.86%, and number of branches per plant ranging from 0.84 to 48.43%. Upon comparative analysis of all urdbean genotypes, it can be deduced that genotypes M114, M218, and M338 exhibit lesser susceptibility to urdbean leaf crinkle disease, thereby positioning them as promising candidates for breeding programs and cultivation endeavors aimed at achieving higher yields.