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Background: The tropical legume Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. can meet three agricultural needs: low-cost protein, high-value medicines, and green manure or cover crops. But like other underutilized crops, it needs more modern breeding resources. Identifying marker-trait associations (MTAs) can facilitate marker-assisted breeding and crop improvement. Recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of identifying MTAs using a small number of accessions (< 100). We have characterized a panel of 70 M. pruriens accessions across two consecutive years and performed association analysis for 16 phenotypic traits related to seed (seed length, seed width, seed thickness, seed yield per plant, hundred seed weight); pod (pod length, pod width, number of pods per cluster, number of pods per plant); inflorescence (inflorescence length, flower buds per inflorescence, flower length, pedicel length), and biochemical attributes (L-DOPA, total protein, total carbohydrate), using 66 genic-microsatellite markers following mixed linear model., Results: The results showed significant phenotypic (P < 0.05) and genetic diversity (Shannon's information index, I = 0.62) in our germplasm collection. Many tested traits were highly heritable (broad-sense heritability ranging from 42.86 to 99.93%). A total of 15 MTAs was detected at an adjusted significance level of P < 5.55 × 10 - 3 for nine traits (seed length, seed thickness, seed width, hundred seed weight, seed yield per plant, inflorescence length, flower buds per inflorescence, flower length, and petiole length), contributed by 10 SSR markers (MPU&#95;19, MPU&#95;42, MPU&#95;54, MPU&#95;57, MPU&#95;58, MPU&#95;83, MPU&#95;89, MPU&#95;108, MPU&#95;111, and MPU&#95;122.) with phenotypic variance explained (PVE) ranging from 14.7 to 31.1%. Out of the ten trait-associated markers, the BLAST analysis revealed putative functions of seven markers, except MPU&#95;57, MPU&#95;58, and MPU&#95;83., Conclusion: Fifteen MTAs identified for important traits with phenotypic variance explained > 10% from mixed linear model offer a solid resource base for improving this crop. This is the first report on association mapping in M. pruriens and our results are expected to assist with marker-assisted breeding and identifying candidate genes in this promising legume., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) is an economically important cash crop that provides a livelihood option for the rural communities in Sikkim Himalaya. However, its production has declined drastically over the past few decades due to climate change and other factors affecting the livelihood of marginal cardamom-dependent farmers in the region. Climate change causes a shift in elevational distributions of mountain species, and it is pivotal to understand its effect on yield and yield-related traits for economically important plant species like large cardamom. For this, we randomly studied 41 large cardamom cultivation sites in Sikkim (India) with elevations ranging between 975 and 2069 m asl and evaluated the yield-related traits (number of capsules per spike, capsule length, capsule width, fresh capsule weight, dry capsule weight, number of seeds per locule, fresh seed weight, and dry seed weight) in five cultivars (Dzongu Golsey, Sawney, Seremna, Ramsey, and Varlangey). We observed a significant variability (P < 0.05) for morphometric traits in each of the five cultivars cultivated in different elevations. The cultivation of low-elevation cultivars like Seremna and Dzongu Golsey (suitable in elevation < 975 m) has shifted upward to mid (975-1515 m) and high-elevation (> 1515 m), while cultivation of high-elevation Ramsey cultivar (suitable in elevation > 1515 m) has shifted downward (< 1515 m). The Dzongu Golsey, Sawney, and Seremna cultivated in mid-elevation (975-1515 m) performed better in terms of yield-related traits than the same cultivars cultivated in high-elevation (> 1515 m) and showed moderate to high negative correlation between elevation and yield-related traits, indicating the negative effect of elevation on their yield. Likewise, Ramsey and Varlangey cultivated in high elevation (> 1515 m) performed better than the one cultivated in mid-elevation (975-1515 m) and depicted moderate to high positive correlation between elevation and yield-related traits, suggesting a positive influence of elevation on their yield. Although there is an elevational shift in the cultivation of large cardamom cultivars, the elevation influences the performance of the large cardamom cultivars, and it also suggests cultivating the cultivars in their suitable elevation range for better productivity., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Winged bean, Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC., is analogous to soybean in yield and nutritional quality, proving a valuable alternative to soybean in tropical regions of the world. The presence of anti-nutritional factors and high costs associated with indeterminate plant habit have been major concerns in this crop. But occurrence of good genetic variability in germplasm collections offers precious resources for winged bean breeding. However, lack of germplasm characterization is hindering such efforts. From a genomic standpoint, winged bean has been little studied despite rapid advancement in legume genomics in the last decade. Exploiting modern genomics/breeding approaches for genetic resource characterization and the breeding of early maturing, high yielding, determinate varieties which are disease resistant and free of anti-nutritional factors along with developing consumer friendly value-added products of local significance are great challenges and opportunities in the future that would boost cultivation of winged bean in the tropics. We review past efforts and future prospects towards winged bean improvement.