Articles

One of the most common crop plants in the world that is a legume is Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), the crop is a major source of oil and protein in food consumed by human beings and animals. In recent years, viral diseases have re-emerged as a major limiting factor to the production of soybean affecting yield and quality of plants in other continents. Soybean mosaic virus (SMV), Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV), Soybean yellow mottle mosaic virus (SYMMV) and Cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) are examples of viruses that have been increasing in occurrence as a result of the changing climate and the change in agronomy. High-throughput sequencing and similar technologies of RNA silencing, CRISPR-Cas gene editing, and transgenic expression of resistance genes have made it easier and faster to understand and control these pathogens. This mini-review will overview viral pathogens of soybean that are important, the mode of resistance, and current advancements in the field of molecular breeding and biotechnological methodologies to attain long-term control of the virus. An integration of conventional breeding with genome-assisted and synthetic biology solutions is one of the keys to the attainment of permanent virus resistance in G. max.