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Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.), one of the most widely grown edible legumes in Asia, plays important roles in the improvement of agricultural cultivation systems as well as human diets. As an understudied crop, however, most mungbean varieties are characterized by unstable yields, poor disease resistance, and unsuitability for mechanical harvesting, thereby leading to a low production income. We, therefore, developed Jilv 20, a new mungbean cultivar with a dull seed coat, by crossing Bao 942-34 with Weilv 9002-341. After 11 years of selection and evaluation, Jilv 20 has shown wide adaptability, early maturity, high yield, halo blight resistance, and suitability for mechanical harvesting. The growth period of Jilv 20 is 79.5 and 66.7 days in the spring and summer sowing seasons, respectively, and the average plant height is approximately 56.4 cm. In this study, average yields were 1737.9, 1532.3, and 2045.1 kg/hm2 in northern spring-sowing, northern summer-sowing, and southern sites, respectively; these values were respectively 27.83%, 28.48%, and 6.96% higher than those of control cultivar Zhonglv 5, which has been popular in past decades because of its wide adaptability. The average protein and starch contents of Jilv 20 seeds were 25.0% and 49.56%, respectively. Further application and extension of Jilv 20 in China should contribute to mungbean production, breeding, and industrial development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High yields, high stress resistance, and wide adaptability are important cultivar traits, especially for crops sensitive to the photoperiod and temperature. Mung bean (Vigna radiata) is a typical short-day plant, traditionally cultivated in Asian countries, and consumed all over the world. However, there has long been relatively little research regarding its genetic improvement until in recent decades. Zhonglv 5 is a mung bean cultivar that was developed via crossbreeding in China in the early part of this century. It has since played an important role in improving mung bean production in the country because of its high yields, high stress tolerance, and wide adaptability. We herein describe the development of Zhonglv 5, summarize its yield performance and adaptability in diverse eco-regions within China, and predict its potential future uses to provide information relevant for mung bean breeding, production, trade, and related industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]