Variation among Australian accessions of the wild mungbean (Vigna radiata ssp. sublobata) for traits of agronomic, adaptive, or taxonomic interest
R. J. Lawn A C and G. J. Rebetzke BA School of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811; CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Davies Laboratory, Townsville, Qld 4814, Australia.
B Department of Agriculture, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072; present address: CSIRO Plant Industry, PO Box 1600, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: robert.lawn@jcu.edu.au
Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57(1) 119-132 https://doi.org/10.1071/AR05215
Submitted: 14 June 2005 Accepted: 14 September 2005 Published: 30 January 2006
Abstract
The wild mungbean, Vigna radiata ssp. sublobata, is an ‘old world’ tropical species indigenous throughout the better watered areas of northern Australia. Variation among 115 accessions, mainly from Australia, West Timor, and Papua New Guinea, was evaluated for several diverse traits. The plants were cultivated in the field at 2 sowing dates, at both a tropical and a subtropical location, with 6 accessions from India and a mungbean cultivar for comparison. Substantial variation was identified for traits of potential agronomic, adaptive, or taxonomic interest. For some traits, like phenology, the variation appeared to be systematic, with plausible underlying physiological and/or adaptive explanation. Among accessions, wild type traits, like prostrate habit, more gracile morphology, twining form, and small hard seeds, tended to be associated. There was a general geographic trend for lines collected from locations more remote from where mungbean has historically been cultivated to show greater expression of wild type traits, with few ‘traits of domestication’ evident in the Australian accessions. Some of the identified variation, e.g. higher seed protein content, hardseededness, and putative disease resistance, may be of value in mungbean variety improvement. A more targetted evaluation of the collection would likely reveal other adaptations, especially tolerance to environmental stresses. As such, the wild accessions are a potentially valuable if under-utilised germplasm resource.
Additional keywords: germplasm, plant improvement.
Acknowledgments
The research reported here was supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation and the CSIRO Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures. The collection of the data at Lansdown by Dr Patricia Chay-Prove and Mr Doug Horan, and the assistance of Mr Andrew Watkinson at Samford, are acknowledged with appreciation. The paper includes research undertaken by GJR in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the MAgrSc degree at the University of Queensland.
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