The project was in partnership with Indian seed company Noble Seeds and saw 358 breeding lines and 907 F1 hybrids put to the test against of whitefly-transmitted yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) and enation leaf curl virus (ELCV).
Out of these, 123 lines and 235 hybrids showed resistance to both viruses.
The trials were conducted Sonepat, Haryana State, in Northern India, an area well-known for YVMV and ELCV infestations.
“This was the ultimate stress test. We chose Sonepat precisely because it is a major hotspot. It’s the lion’s den of begomoviruses – any line that holds up there holds great promise,” said Dr. Narinder Dhillon, WorldVeg principal plant breeder for okra.
He added that the success of the trials was evidence that years of targeted breeding have paid off.
“This assures APSA members that we’re not just claiming resistance – we’ve proven it under the toughest conditions in India’s toughest fields.”
This was the first in a series of trials planned, with the next scheduled for 2026 in Thailand, where the successful lines and hybrids will be exposed again to natural infections.
Eight years in the making
The WorldVeg okra breeding team in Thailand spent the past eight years developing and refining disease-resistant lines.
The challenge they faced was developing disease-resistant lines from the crop’s narrow genetic base.
Most commercial hybrids are derived from limited parent material, making them more susceptible to disease and constraining breeding progress.
To address this, the team evaluated hundreds of okra breeding lines for plant vigour, branching, fruit colour and shape, and resistance to whitefly-transmitted viruses.
A strategic crossing plan was then implemented to produce hybrids, which were tested across multiple locations to identify those that combine durable resistance with high fruit quality, an appealing appearance, early yield, and extended harvest periods.
According to WorldVeg, YVMV and ELCV infestations regularly devastate okra crops across South Asia.
These begomoviruses pose a major challenge to India’s okra seed industry, which produces over 3,000 tonnes of hybrid seed each year, worth around US$122 million. This makes it one of the largest producers.
During severe virus outbreaks, farmers can lose up to 30% of their harvest or entire fields, making disease resistance a top breeding priority.
These trials are part of a two-year APSA-WorldVeg project, Developing New Markets With Better Okra Genetics, which aims to bridge the gap between pre-breeding research and market-ready hybrids.
Funded by participating seed companies and coordinated through APSA, the project provides members with early-bird access to elite WorldVeg breeding lines
“Okra is an everyday crop for millions of people – from farmers to consumers. But keeping it productive in the face of changing virus pressure demands science, cooperation, and a willingness to face the problem head-on. That’s what these trials represent – a real test under real conditions – with the APSA-WorldVeg Consortium providing the perfect framework,” said Dhillon.
