VL Soya 59 (National Identity No. 1C 471839) a soybean variety developed by Vivekananda Parvatiya Krishi Anusandhan Sansthan, Almora from a three-way cross through hybridization of (PB-1 X VLS 2) X EC 361336. It was released and notified by Central sub-committee on crop standards, Notification and Release of variety Vide Notification No. SO 2458 (E) dated 16.10.2008, for the rainfed timely sown conditions of hills of North-Western Himalayas which includes Uttarakhand hills and Himachal Pradesh. It has been released and notified for high yield and superior quality with low linolenic acid (C18:3 as 3.96) which improves oxidative stability of oil, hence improve its commercial value. Prior to submission of VLS 59 as an entry to the All India Co-ordinated system, VLS 59 was selected as an entry in station trial for yield and other ancillary attributes from a two years evaluation at Experimental farm, Hawalbagh. Subsequently it was evaluated in coordinated programme (IVT/AVT) as VLS 59 for four years by All India Coordinated Research Project, NRC for soybean. In these years, VLS 59 was evaluated at Hawalbagh, Kangra, Palampur and Chiniyalisaur located in Indian Himalayas. It ranked first in 10 out of 12 locations for yield indicating a wider adaptability and consistent performance of this variety. On an average, it yielded 25.62 q/ha and the maximum yield was obtained at Hawalbagh (38.52 q/ha) in 2003. VLS 59 has shown significant yield superiority of 9.9% over best check VLS 47. VLS 59 has 39.15% protein and 19.35% oil content and showed moderate multiple resistances against pod blight (anthracnose) (31.2) and target leaf spot (22.2) and moderate resistance to frog eye leaf spot (28.4) over years & locations in north-western hills. VL Soya 59’ has determinate growth habit (72.8 cm) variety and requires 120.1 days (101 to 138 days) to mature. The mean 100-seed weight of VL Soya 59’ is 13.96g. VL Soya 59’ may ensure nutritional security of the hilly people to the otherwise under-nourished hill population.
