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Mungbean yellow mosaic virus
Mungbean yellow mosaic virus · Viral
Photo: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org · CC BY 3.0
Mungbean yellow mosaic virus is a virus disease of mungbean and other legumes (cowpea, soybean, common bean) carried from plant to plant by the tiny white flying insect called the whitefly. It is not a spray-away disease: once a plant is infected there is no cure. Infected plants turn bright yellow, stay small, and set only a few shrivelled pods. Because the whitefly moves the virus fast in warm weather, the whole battle is won or lost by stopping the fly and pulling out sick plants early.
Wee Hong · CC BY-SA 4.0
Why it matters
This virus can wipe out up to 70% of your harvest — more than half the crop gone. A plant that catches it young stays stunted and yellow and gives you almost no filled pods, so the money and seed you put in are wasted. The hard truth: there is no medicine that cures an infected plant. Once the yellow shows, that plant will never recover — all you can do is stop the whitefly and remove the sick plants before they infect the rest of the field.
When to act
First bright-yellow mosaic on young leaves or rising whitefly numbers; act early on the vector, as there is no cure once plants are infected.
This guidance is general, compiled from published agronomic references including FAO and CABI. Thresholds and timing shift with your crop, your variety and the season.
In much of the region a spray is simply called mushonga — medicine. But a chemical group you cannot name is one you cannot rotate, and a product you did not write down has no pre-harvest interval you can observe. Mushonga, and other farming words →
The full mungbean yellow mosaic virus field guide
- Identify it
- Scout for it
- Control it
18 field-guide sections in the app
The full guide to mungbean yellow mosaic virus — every symptom to check, how and when to walk your field looking for it, and the controls that actually work, ranked. Built into your crop plan, so you are told to look before it costs you a harvest.
Crops it affects
Frequently asked questions
How do I identify mungbean yellow mosaic virus?
The first sign: scattered bright yellow flecks or spots on the youngest leaves at the top of the plant. They are the colour of a ripe lemon and stand out clearly against the healthy green.
When should I take action against mungbean yellow mosaic virus?
First bright-yellow mosaic on young leaves or rising whitefly numbers; act early on the vector, as there is no cure once plants are infected.
How do I control mungbean yellow mosaic virus?
Prevent it first — plant a resistant variety (your strongest tool): where you can get them, sow resistant or tolerant mungbean varieties. This is the single most reliable and cheapest protection — the plant fights the virus for you. Ask your seed dealer or extension officer for a variety bred to resist yellow mosaic.
Which crops does mungbean yellow mosaic virus affect?
Among the crops covered here: Common bean, Cowpea, Green gram, Soybean.
Catch it before it costs you a harvest
Divisi builds scouting into your crop plan — it tells you when to walk your field, what to look for at that stage, and what to do when you find it. Free for farmers, works offline.
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