Bhopal, April 30 -- The cultivation area of soybean in Madhya Pradesh, India's so-called 'Soybean State', has witnessed a sharp decline, raising concerns among farmers and agricultural experts.
Once spread across 6.5 million hectares, soybean farming in the state has now shrunk to just 5.51 million hectares, reflecting a troubling trend despite Madhya Pradesh continuing to lead the country in overall soybean production. Retired Agriculture Director GS Kaushal attributes the primary reason for this decline to the outbreak of the Yellow Mosaic Virus, a devastating disease caused by a Potyvirus and transmitted by whiteflies.
The virus spreads rapidly, especially during periods of intermittent rainfall, when whitefly populations thrive and in...