Character Association Studies of Quantitative Characters in Summer Mung bean [<i>Vigna Radiata</i> (L.) Wilzek] Genotypes

The productivity of mung bean in India remains low due to a narrow genetic base for yield improvement, limited variability in yield-related traits, suboptimal ideotype of the mung bean plant, susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses, inadequate crop management, and weed infestation. The present study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Ummedganj-Kota, Rajasthan, during summer 2024, to assess genetic variability and examine the relationships among quantitative traits in 26 mung bean genotypes of diverse origins. The analysis revealed highly significant mean squares for all morphological characters, indicating the presence of substantial variability. Traits such as the number of pods plant-1, 100-seed weight, and plant height showed high heritability estimates and significant genetic advances, suggesting that additive gene effects predominantly influence these traits, with minimal environmental impact, and that simple phenotypic selection would be effective. The study also identified high direct effects of traits like harvest index, 100-seed weight, biological yield plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, number of pods plant-1, and number of branches plant-1 on yield. These findings suggest that targeted selection for these traits can effectively enhance grain yield in mung bean. Additionally, genotypes PMD-11, BCM 20-52, IPM 205-7, MH 1923, IPM 410-3, and SML 2159 were identified as promising donors for these traits in recombinant breeding programs aimed at yield improvement.