Effect of Temperature on Seedling Traits, Genetic Analysis of Seedling Traits and Their Influence on Seed Yield in Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] Genotypes

Background: Temperature is a critical environmental factor that significantly affects the growth and development of seedlings in many plant species, including mungbean. Mungbean is an important pulse crop and understanding its genetic diversity is crucial for breeding programmes aimed at improving seedling traits and seed yield. This study investigates the impact of different temperature regimes on the germination and seedling growth, evaluates the extent of genetic variability and to explore the relationships between various seedling characteristics. Methods: In this field-laboratory investigation, field experiments were conducted with 35 mungbean genotypes in an RBD with three replications at the College of Agriculture, Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, Rajasthan during summer of 2019 and Kharif 2019-20. The laboratory experiment was conducted with same genotypes at 30oC and 40oC temperature regimes under controlled conditions during Kharif 2020-21. Result: Seedling traits like seedling dry weight, seedling fresh weight and seedling vigour index exhibited high degree of genetic variability along with high heritability and high genetic advance as per cent of mean at 40oC. Therefore, screening of genotypes on the basis of seedling traits may be conducted at 40oC. Among seedling traits, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight and seedling vigour index had positive correlation with seed yield at 30oC and directly contributed towards seed yield.