Not AvailableBegomoviruses infecting legumes (family Geminiviridae) pose a serious threat to the
productivity of grain legumes in general and soybean in particular. In this study, replication
initiator protein gene (rep) of begomovirus causing yellow mosaic disease on soybean in
Central Indian region is characterized. A total of 85 complete rep gene sequences of legume
begomoviruses including sequence reported in this study were employed to delineate genetic
diversity, population selection and evolutionary lineage. Nucleotide diversity analysis revealed
that the major legume yellow mosaic viruses (LYMVs) viz., MYMV and MYMIV are less
diverse than legume begomovirus population as a whole. Test of neutral evolution also
reiterates the operation of purifying selection and population expansion of major legume
begomoviruses. However interestingly, LYMVs as a whole, show decrease in population size
and act of balancing or neutral selection. Recombinants have also been detected only among the
isolates of MYMIV suggesting frequent genetic exchanges.Not Availabl