Inheritance of growth habit and leaf-shape in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek.]

Abstract

Growth habit and shape of leaflets in trifoliate leaves are two important morphological traits in mungbean. Despite the usefulness of these two traits as genetic marker, not much work [1-4] in the study of inheritance o these two characters has been done. Narrow genetic variation of these two traits and poor adaptability in common cultivars of mungbean are prime difficulties in this study. A wild species and progenitor of mungbean Vigna radiata var. sub/obata with different growth habit and leaflet shape [5] with good adaptability was collected from northern hilly tracts (Darjeeling district) of west Bengal. The collected plants though were uniform growth habit showed considerable gradation in leaflet lobation pattern.