Creating variability through interspecific hybridization and its utilization for genetic improvement in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]

Interspecific hybridization is important for genetic enhancement of crop plants. The present study was conducted to study genetic variation in advanced interspecific lines of mungbean for yield and its component traits, to determine the association among different traits and their contribution towards seed yield through correlation and path coefficient analysis. A set of 64 genotypes including 51 advanced interspecific lines derived from mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) × urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) and mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) × ricebean (Vignaumbellata Thumb.) crosses and 13 parents (mungbean, urdbean and ricebean) was the experimental material for this study. The mean sums of squares for genotypes were highly significant for all the traits. Mean sum of squares for replications were also highly significant for all traits except days to 50 % flowering, days to maturity and harvest index at 1 % and 5 % level of significance. This indicated substantial magnitude of diversity and variability in the interspecific lines and parents under study, which could be further exploited. High to moderate PCV and GCV along with high heritability and genetic advance was observed for biological yield per plant, seed yield per plant and plant height, indicating that these traits could be easy targets for phenotypic selection and consequently, may be improved genetically via simple plant selection methods. On the basis of correlation studies, it could be concluded that all the traits under investigation except number of seeds per pod and harvest index were important for selection for yield improvement. Path analysis further revealed that harvest index could also be one of the criteria of selection for higher yield in these interspecific lines