Mapping of quantitative trait loci controlling powdery mildew resistance in Mungbean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna radiata</Emphasis> (L.) Wilczek)

Powdery mildew disease in mungbean is caused by the fungus, Erysiphe polygoni D.C. We identified two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling resistance to the disease in a RIL population of 190 F₇ lines. The population was developed from the cross between a susceptible cultivar, “Kamphaeng Saen 1” and a resistant line, “VC6468-11-1A”. Reaction to the disease was evaluated for resistance in field and greenhouse conditions. Results from analysis of variance revealed that 15 SSR loci on three linkage groups (LG) associated with the resistance. Composite interval mapping consistently identified two QTLs on two LGs, qPMR-1 and qPMR-2, conferring the resistance. qPMR-1 and qPMR-2 accounted for 20.10 and 57.81% of the total variation for plant response to the disease, respectively. Comparison based on common markers used in our and previous studies suggested that qPMR-2 is possibly the same as the major QTL reported earlier using another resistant source. The SSR markers flanking and closely linked to qPMR-1 (CEDG282 and CEDG191) and qPMR-2 (MB-SSR238 and CEDG166) are useful for marker-assisted selection for mungbean resistance to powdery mildew.     

Macrophomina phaseolina–host interface: Insights into an emerging dry root rot pathogen of mungbean and urdbean,and its mitigation strategies

The necrotrophic fungus Macrophomina phaseolina is an important pathogen of many crops, such as strawberry, maize, sorghum, potato, soybean, chickpea, and pigeon pea, and causes multiple diseases throughout the world. The microsclerotia, which are the source of primary inoculum, play an important role in the survival and spread of M. phaseolina, as well as disease initiation and development. South Asia has unique characteristics relative to countries with temperate climates, that is, warm temperature, high humidity, and reduced rainfall that influence the interaction between M. phaseolina and its hosts. This review discusses the distribution pattern, pathogen background, pathogenic and genetic variability, and the mitigation strategies applied worldwide to reduce the impact of diseases caused by M. phaseolina with a focus on dry root rot of mungbean and urdbean in South Asia. Dry root rot, caused by M. phaseolina, is an emerging disease of mungbean and urdbean in South Asia. Dry root rot research in South Asia has focused mostly on adopting disease mitigation strategies evolved in tropical to temperate climates such as cultural practices, chemical control, genetic resistance, and biological control. Although the disease is prevalent in most of South Asia, there have been very few studies on M. phaseolina and its host–parasite interaction. Therefore, additional research is required in this domain, which could result in improved understanding and management of M. phaseolina in the face of present and future climate extremes.     

Identification and resistant characterization of legume sources against Meloidogyne incognita

Root-knot nematodes(RKNs; Meloidogyne spp.) are becoming a serious problem in legume production. This study identified Vigna genotypes exhibiting resistance to M. incognita(RKN) and characterized the modes of the resistance to M. incognita. In total, 279 accessions from 21 Vigna species were screened for resistance based on a galling index(GI) and an egg mass index(EI). Seven accessions were highly resistant to RKN with GI≤25, namely JP74716(V. mungo var. mungo; cultivated black gram), JP107881(V. nepalensis), JP229392(V. radiata var. sublobata; wild mungbean), Aus TRCF118141(V. unguiculata subsp. unguiculata; cultivated cowpea), Aus TRCF306385(V. unguiculata subsp. unguiculata), Aus TRCF322090(V. vexillata var. vexillata; wild zombi pea) and JP235929(V. vexillata var. vexillata). JP229392 and Aus TRCF322090 were the most resistant accessions having EI values of 18.74 and 1.88, respectively. Continuous culture of M. incognita on both JP229392 and Aus TRCF322090 resulted in a weakness in pathogenic ability for this RKN. The resistance in JP229392 and Aus TRCF322090 to RKN appeared to be antibiosis that was associated with reduced nematode penetration, retardation of nematode development and impeding giant cell formation. The Vigna germplasm resistance to RKN identified in this study could be utilized as gene sources for the development of RKN-resistant Vigna cultivars.     

Inheritance of seed resistance to bruchids in cultivated mungbean (Vigna radiata, L. Wilczek)

Bruchid beetles or seed weevils are the most devastating stored pests of grain legumes causing considerable loss to mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek). Breeding for bruchid resistance is a major goal in mungbean improvement. Few sources of resistance in cultivated genepool were identified and characterized, however, there has been no study on the genetic control of the resistance. In this study, we investigated the inheritance of seed resistance to Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) and C. maculatus (F.) in two landrace mungbean accessions, V2709BG and V2802BG. The F₁, F₂ and BC generations were developed from crosses between the resistant and susceptible accessions and evaluated for resistance to the insects. It was found that resistance to bruchids in seeds is controlled by maternal plant genotype. All F₁ plants derived from both direct and reciprocal crosses exhibited resistance to the bruchids. Segregation pattern of reaction to the beetles in the F₂ and backcross populations showed that the resistance is controlled by a major gene, with resistance is dominant at varying degrees of expressivity. Although the presence of modifiers was also observed. The gene is likely the same locus in both V2709BG and V2802BG. The resistant gene is considered very useful in breeding for seed resistance to bruchids in mungbean.     

Genetics of the resistance to powdery mildew disease in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Powdery mildew disease caused by the fungus Erysiphe polygoni D.C. is an important disease of mungbean. Loss can be more serious if the disease attacks at seedling stage. In this paper, we report genetics of the resistance to powdery mildew disease in mungbean using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cross between the susceptible parent “KPS1” and the resistant parent “VC6468-11-1A”. Five hundred and ninety-two RILs were developed by random descending from 200 F₂ plants. The population was evaluated against the fungus in field and greenhouse conditions. The data were analyzed following a nested design for selfpollinating plants to determine genetic heritability of powdery mildew resistance. The severity of the infestation was measured by using disease index (DI) and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC). Both values showed continuous distribution in the RILs. Under field conditions, the narrow-sense heritability of DI and AUDPC were 0.67 and 0.48, respectively. While under greenhouse conditions, the values were 0.68 and 0.62, respectively. The results suggested that the resistance is quantitatively inherited with high heritability and predominantly additive gene action. To develop powdery mildew-resistant mungbean varieties, the plant breeder can select for resistant lines by using standard selection procedures for self-pollinating crops, viz. pedigree selection, bulk selection, early generation testing, and single-seed descent.     

Mapping of quantitative trait loci for phytic acid and phosphorus contents in seed and seedling of mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Phytic acid (PA) is the storage form of phosphorus (P) in seeds and plays an important role in the nutritional quality of food crops. There is little information on the genetics of seed and seedling PA in mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek]. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for phytic acid P (PAP), total P (TP), and inorganic P (IP) in mungbean seeds and seedlings, and for flowering, maturity and seed weight, in an F₂ population developed from a cross between low PAP cultivated mungbean (V1725BG) and high PAP wild mungbean (AusTRCF321925). Seven QTLs were detected for P compounds in seed; two for PAP, four for IP and one for TP. Six QTLs were identified for P compounds in seedling; three for PAP, two for TP and one for IP. Only one QTL co-localized between P compounds in seed and seedling suggesting that low PAP seed and low PAP seedling must be selected for at different QTLs. Seed PAP and TP were positively correlated with days to flowering and maturity, indicating the importance of plant phenology to seed P content.     

Genetic diversity of the black gram [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] gene pool as revealed by SSR markers

In this study, 520 cultivated and 14 wild accessions of black gram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) were assessed for diversity using 22 SSR markers. Totally, 199 alleles were detected with a mean of 9.05 alleles per locus. Wild black gram showed higher gene diversity than cultivated black gram. Gene diversity of cultivated accessions among regions was comparable, while allelic richness of South Asia was higher than that of other regions. 78.67% of the wild gene diversity presented in cultivated accessions, indicating that the domestication bottleneck effect in black gram is relatively low. Genetic distance analysis revealed that cultivated black gram was more closely related to wild black gram from South Asia than that from Southeast Asia. STRUCTURE, principal coordinate and neighbor-joining analyses consistently revealed that 534 black gram accessions were grouped into three major subpopulations. The analyses also revealed that cultivated black gram from South Asia was genetically distinct from that from West Asia. Comparison by SSR analysis with other closely related Vigna species, including mungbean, azuki bean, and rice bean, revealed that level of gene diversity of black gram is comparable to that of mungbean and rice bean but lower than that of azuki bean.     

Mapping quantitative trait loci for yield-related traits in soybean (Glycine max L.)

Development of soybean cultivars with high seed yield is a major focus in soybean breeding programs. This study was conducted to identify genetic loci associated with seed yield-related traits in soybean and also to clarify consistency of the detected QTLs with QTLs found by previous researchers. A population of 135 F_2:3 lines was developed from a cross between a vegetable soybean line (MJ0004-6) and a landrace cultivar from Myanmar ({"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"R18500","term_id":"772110","term_text":"R18500"}}R18500). They were evaluated in the experimental field of Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand in a randomized complete block design with two replications each in 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. The two parents exhibited contrasting characteristics for most of the traits that were mapped. Analysis of variance showed that the main effects of genotype and environment (year) were significant for all studied traits. Genotype by environment interaction was also highly significant for all the traits. The population was genotyped by 149 polymorphic SSR markers and the genetic map consisted of 129 SSR loci which converged into 38 linkage groups covering 1156 cM of soybean genome. There were 10 QTLs significantly associated with seed yield-related traits across two seasons with single QTLs explaining between 5.0% to 21.9% of the phenotypic variation. Three of these QTLs were detected in both years for days to flowering, days to maturity and 100 seed weight. Most of the detected QTLs in our research were consistent with earlier QTLs reported by previous researchers. However, four novel QTLs including SF1, SF2 and SF3 on linkage groups L and N for seed filling period and PN1 on linkage group D1b for pod number were identified in the present study.     

Fabrication and Characterisation of Functionalised Superparamagnetic Bacterial Nanocellulose Using Ultrasonic-Assisted <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> Synthesis

Ultrasonic-assisted in situ synthesis was performed using bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) and magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) to synthesise superparamagnetic membranes as BNC/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite films (BNC/Fe₃O₄ NCFs). Vibrating sample magnetometry of these BNC/Fe₃O₄ NCFs exhibited superparamagnetic properties with high saturation magnetisation at 40.57 emu g^-1. Morphology of BNC/Fe₃O₄ NCFs was studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Results showed Fe₃O₄ NPs with diameter 30 to 50 nm trapped in a BNC structure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the incorporation of BNC and Fe₃O₄ NPs. Thermal properties of the nanocomposite films increased with Fe₃O₄ NPs in the BNC structure compared with native BNC. Surface wettability of BNC/Fe₃O₄ NCFs was determined by contact angle and revealed hydrophobic properties. Results showed that ultrasonic-assisted in situ synthesis of superparamagnetic BNC/Fe₃O₄ NCFs is an important property when utilising BNC/Fe₃O₄ NCFs with a hydrophobic nonpolar polymeric matrix in electronic device applications.     

A new taxonomic treatment for some wild relatives of mungbean (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna radiata</Emphasis> (L.) Wilcz.) based on their molecular phylogenetic relationships and morphological variations

Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilcz.) is an important leguminous crop cultivated mainly in Asia. Its wild relatives are considered useful genetic resources for mungbean breeding. However, the taxonomic history of mungbean and its wild relatives is complicated and some confusion is still present in recent publications. In this study, we examined the rDNA-ITS sequences and morphological characteristics of 83 gene bank accessions closely related to mungbean. As a result, we classified the 83 accessions into five species and one unclassified accession. The proper taxon name for each species was determined (Vigna grandiflora (Prain) Tateishi et Maxted, Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper, V. radiata, Vigna subramaniana (Babu ex Raizada) Raizada, and Vigna trinervia (Heyne ex Wight et Arn.) Tateishi et Maxted) based on a review of their taxonomic history and morphological comparisons between gene bank accessions and type specimens. A new taxonomic treatment is proposed and a morphological key has been prepared. In this treatment, Vigna radiata (L.) Wilcz. var. setulosa (Dalz.) Ohwi et Ohashi is treated as a synonym of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilcz. var. sublobata (Roxb.) Verdc., and Vigna hainiana Babu, Gopinathan et Sharma is a synonym of V. subramaniana. Accession ‘NI1135’ was revealed to be most closely related to, but is considerably differentiated from, mungbean (V. radiata) based on its rDNA-ITS sequences. It also has distinguishing morphological characters. Plants with similar morphologies and DNA profiles might be distributed in the Indian Himalaya. However, since only one accession is available at present, the taxonomic classification of ‘NI1135’ needs to be reconsidered in the future.