Genetic sources of bruchid resistance in soybean: A review

Soybean (Glycine max) has two traits that make it hugely popular in the world; its high protein content (40%) and oil (20%) making it a vital industrial crop. Considerable systematic research focusing on breeding for grain yield improvement, foliage insect pest resistance and pod shattering leading to the release of a number of varieties has been done world wide. Landmark achievements have also been made on adoption of these improved varieties to the extent that almost all soybean grown in Uganda is improved. However, little research geared towards storage pests has been done not only in Uganda but also worldwide because the crop had no issues of storage pests until recently in Australia and now in Uganda. Unlike field pests and diseases, damage caused by pests on stored products is completely irreversible making it very significant. In most parts of Africa, soybeans are stored together with other legumes. Such storage systems with little or no use of control measures would allow cross infestations by storage pests from other legumes such as cowpeas. The major problem in storage for legumes are bruchids. This problem of bruchids if it is not dealt with in a sustainable manner it might pull down all the progress and achievements in place in the Uganda soybean breeding programme since 1930s. In this review we present research status on bruchids and further highlight knowledge gaps in soybean research as pertaining to breeding for bruchid resistance.