Unraveling genetic diversity and yield traits in mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) through morpho-molecular approach

Abstract

The present study was carried out to analyze the genetic variability in 124 genotypes of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) following an augmented block design in kharif over two years. The analysis of variance revealed significant variation among genotypes for all the traits except the number of branches. Pearson correlation coefficients demonstrated significant correlations between several traits, notably between seed yield and traits such as the number of branches, number of pods per plant, pod length, no. of seeds per pod, and 100-seed weight. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified three principal components explaining 74.68% of the total variation. Yield-related traits predominantly influenced the first principal component (PC1); the second (PC2) by seeds per pod and days to 50% flowering, and the third (PC3) by growth-related traits such as days to flowering, days to maturity and number of branches. Cluster analysis based on morphological traits and SSR marker analysis grouped the genotypes into two distinct clusters, respectively, corroborating the morphological clustering results with SSR markers. Overall, the results of the study provide a detailed understanding of the genetic diversity and variability in morphological traits among mung bean genotypes, offering valuable insights for breeding programs and genetic improvement efforts.