Genetic improvement of mungbean and urdbean and their role in enhancing pulse production in India

Abstract

The initial varietal development in mungbean and urdbean focused mainly on selection from landraces or the germplasm samples collected, purified and evaluated. However, systematic efforts were made by National Agricultural Research System comprising Indian Council of Agricultural Research and State Agricultural Universities
through All India Coordinated Pulses Improvement Project
for varietal improvement. National Bureau of Plant Genetic
Resources and AICPIP centres collected over 8,000 Vigna
genetic resources and also introduced germplasm from
other countries and made them available for evaluation.
Several resistant donors were identified and used to transfer
gene(s) for biotic stresses. As a result, a number of high
yielding varieties were developed through intraspecific
hybridization. Large numbers of these varieties are resistant
to one or more major diseases of the specific agro-eclogical
niches. Six varieties in mungbean and two in urdbean were
also developed through inter-specific hybridization which
had new plant type and resistance to prevalent diseases.
However, limited success has been achieved for the
development of varieties with resistance to insect-pests
and abiotic stresses. There is a need to intensify research
in these areas through introgression of desirable alleles
from secondary and tertiary gene pool into the cultivated
type for yield, photo period and temperature insensivity
and insect pest tolerance. The onset of genomics provides
massive amount of information, but the success will depend
on precise phenotyping to achieve desired restructuring in
existing plant type.