Resistance of green peas to legume viruses

A total of 16 green pea cultivars (Pisum sativum L.) were screened for resistance to bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV), and alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV). Cvs. Avola, Midget, Wawerplus, Wawerex, Bunny and Banff were found immune to BYMV infection. Cvs. Marx and Pion exhibited a high level (above 95%) of resistance to BYMV, but they were highly susceptible to PEMV and AMV. It is recommended to use BYMV-immune or highly BYMV-resistant cultivars for further breeding. There were no significant differences in AMV levels among the respective pea cultivars.