Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 October 2024
Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek), also known as greengram, is the most widely cultivated Asian Vigna species. Improved mungbean cultivars have a narrow genetic base that limits yield potential and they are poorly adapted to varying growth conditions in different agro-ecological conditions. The genetic potential of landrace germplasm accessions in gene- banks therefore needs to be better exploited. Germplasm core collections are made of a reduced set of representative accessions from the entire diversity maintained by genebanks. This subset of accessions can be used for testing general combining ability with local germplasm in the search for yield enhancement. Core collections also help breeders in selecting parental material that could maximize potential genetic gain from derived hybrid populations. At the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), India, genetic enhancement/pre- breeding studies in mungbean have been initiated involving diverse parents mainly from the cultivated gene pool, using the Bureau's core collection as starting material. Germplasm enhancement aims at widening the genetic base of breeding materials by transferring desired genes from unimproved germplasm into enhanced varieties. Mild and decentralized selected material was maintained in target sites across the country. A total of 102 progenies were advanced to F5 for further selection and use by the breeders in Delhi. The genetic potential of a few selected enhanced progenies with desired plant types and better yield-related traits is presented in this paper. The study clearly demonstrates the potential of germplasm accessions conserved in genebanks for use in large-scale base-broadening efforts in mungbean.