Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) improvement through induction of gamma radiation

In plant breeding program, molecular markers have provided a means for genetic mapping or to find out the genetic variation for improved selection. To date, SDS-PAGE (Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis) has been widely used for genetic variation analysis in important species. It is used for detection of genetic polymorphism and varietal identification. In this paper we have examined the variation among the mutants of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) compared with their parents. Due to low genetic variability in the parent material we used gamma rays to initiate a mutation breeding program. The objective of this work was to select mutants for high protein content while maintaining the high yield potential of the original cultivar. A wide variation was observed from 30 kR to 50 kR doses of gamma irradiation in A42 population. Keywords: mungbean, gamma radiatio