Genetic inheritance of leaf and pod traits in blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]

An investigation was carried out on blackgram to examine inheritance pattern of the traits viz., terminal leaflet shape, leaf vein colour, immature pod colour and pod pubescence. Five crosses viz., CO 5 × VBN 9, CO 5 × VBN 10, CO 6 × VBN 9, CO 6 × VBN 10 and CO 6 × VBN 11 were made for studying the genetics of the traits. The qualitative traits were examined in the F1 plants, F2 population and F3 progenies, and a chi-square test was performed to assess their fit to the expected segregation ratio. In the crosses CO 5 × VBN 10 and CO 6 × VBN 10, the terminal leaflet shape exhibited a segregation ratio of 3:1 in F2 and 1:2:1 in F3, with lanceolate shape being dominant over ovate shape. Purple pigmentation in leaf veins and immature pods was dominant in CO 5 × VBN 9 and CO 6 × VBN 9 crosses and co-segregated as a monogenic trait. In the crosses CO 6 × VBN 9, CO 6 × VBN 10 and CO 6 × VBN 11, hairy pods were dominant over glabrous pods and controlled by a single dominant gene. Thus, these traits viz., terminal leaflet shape, leaf vein colour, immature pod colour and pod pubescence, could serve as useful morphological markers for germplasm characterization and confirming true hybrids in recombination breeding programs.