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Crop yield varies considerably within agroecology depending on the genetic potential of crop cultivars and various edaphic and climatic variables. Understanding site-specific changes in crop yield and genotype × environment interaction are crucial and needs exceptional consideration in strategic breeding programs. Further, genotypic response to diverse agro-ecologies offers identification of strategic locations for evaluating traits of interest to strengthen and accelerate the national variety release program. In this study, multi-location field trial data have been used to investigate the impact of environmental conditions on crop phenological dynamics and their influence on the yield of mungbean in different agroecological regions of the Indian subcontinent. The present attempt is also intended to identify the strategic location(s) favoring higher yield and distinctiveness within mungbean genotypes. In the field trial, a total of 34 different mungbean genotypes were grown in 39 locations covering the north hill zone (n = 4), northeastern plain zone (n = 6), northwestern plain zone (n = 7), central zone (n = 11) and south zone (n = 11). The results revealed that the effect of the environment was prominent on both the phenological dynamics and productivity of the mungbean. Noticeable variations (expressed as coefficient of variation) were observed for the parameters of days to 50% flowering (13%), days to maturity (12%), reproductive period (21%), grain yield (33%), and 1000-grain weight (14%) across the environments. The genotype, environment, and genotype × environment accounted for 3.0, 54.2, and 29.7% of the total variation in mungbean yield, respectively (p < 0.001), suggesting an oversized significance of site-specific responses of the genotypes. Results demonstrated that a lower ambient temperature extended both flowering time and the crop period. Linear mixed model results revealed that the changes in phenological events (days to 50 % flowering, days to maturity, and reproductive period) with response to contrasting environments had no direct influence on crop yields (p > 0.05) for all the genotypes except PM 14-11. Results revealed that the south zone environment initiated early flowering and an extended reproductive period, thus sustaining yield with good seed size. While in low rainfall areas viz., Sriganganagar, New Delhi, Durgapura, and Sagar, the yield was comparatively low irrespective of genotypes. Correlation results and PCA indicated that rainfall during the crop season and relative humidity significantly and positively influenced grain yield. Hence, the present study suggests that the yield potential of mungbean is independent of crop phenological dynamics; rather, climatic variables like rainfall and relative humidity have considerable influence on yield. Further, HA-GGE biplot analysis identified Sagar, New Delhi, Sriganganagar, Durgapura, Warangal, Srinagar, Kanpur, and Mohanpur as the ideal testing environments, which demonstrated high efficiency in the selection of new genotypes with wider adaptability.

Micronutrient malnutrition or hidden hunger is a serious challenge toward societal well-being. Vigna stipulacea (Lam.) Kuntz (known locally as Minni payaru), is an underutilized legume that has the potential to be a global food legume due to its rich nutrient profile. In the present study, 99 accessions of V. stipulacea were tested for iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), protein, and phytate concentrations over two locations for appraisal of stable nutrient-rich sources. Analysis of variance revealed significant effects of genotype for all the traits over both locations. Fe concentration ranged from 29.35–130.96 mg kg–1 whereas Zn concentration ranged from 19.44 to 74.20 mg kg–1 across both locations. The highest grain Ca concentration was 251.50 mg kg–1 whereas the highest grain protein concentration was recorded as 25.73%. In the case of grain phytate concentration, a genotype with the lowest value is desirable. IC622867 (G-99) was the lowest phytate containing accession at both locations. All the studied traits revealed highly significant genotypic variances and highly significant genotype × location interaction though less in magnitude than the genotypic variance. GGE Biplot analysis detected that, for grain Fe, Zn, and Ca concentration the ‘ideal’ genotypes were IC331457 (G-75), IC331610 (G-76), and IC553564 (G-60), respectively, whereas for grain protein concentration IC553521 (G-27) was the most “ideal type.” For phytate concentration, IC351407 (G-95) and IC550523 (G-99) were considered as ‘ideal’ and ‘desirable,’ respectively. Based on the desirability index, Location 1 (Kanpur) was identified as ideal for Fe, Zn, Ca, and phytate, and for grain protein concentration, Location 2 (New Delhi) was the ideal type. A significant positive correlation was detected between grain Fe as well as grain Zn and protein concentration considering the pooled analysis over both the locations where as a significant negative association was observed between phytate and protein concentration over the locations. This study has identified useful donors and enhanced our knowledge toward the development of biofortified Vigna cultivars. Promoting domestication of this nutrient-rich semi-domesticated, underutilized species will boost sustainable agriculture and will contribute toward alleviating hidden hunger.

Mungbeans and lentils are relatively easily grown and cheaper sources of microgreens, but their phytonutrient diversity is not yet deeply explored. In this study, 20 diverse genotypes each of mungbean and lentil were grown as microgreens under plain-altitude (Delhi) and high-altitude (Leh) conditions, which showed significant genotypic variations for ascorbic acid, tocopherol, carotenoids, flavonoid, total phenolics, DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power), peroxide activity, proteins, enzymes (peroxidase and catalase), micronutrients, and macronutrients contents. The lentil and mungbean genotypes L830 and MH810, respectively, were found superior for most of the studied parameters over other studied genotypes. Interestingly, for most of the studied parameters, Leh-grown microgreens were found superior to the Delhi-grown microgreens, which could be due to unique environmental conditions of Leh, especially wide temperature amplitude, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and UV-B content. In mungbean microgreens, total phenolics content (TPC) was found positively correlated with FRAP and DPPH, while in lentil microgreens, total flavonoid content (TFC) was found positively correlated with DPPH. The most abundant elements recorded were in the order of K, P, and Ca in mungbean microgreens; and K, Ca, and P in the lentil microgreens. In addition, these Fabaceae microgreens may help in the nutritional security of the population residing in the high-altitude regions of Ladakh, especially during winter months when this region remains landlocked due to heavy snowfall.

Globally, yellow mosaic disease (YMD) remains a major constraint of mungbean production, and management of this deadly disease is still the biggest challenge. Thus, finding ways to manage YMD including development of varieties possessing resistance against mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) and mungbean yellow mosaic India virus (MYMIV) is a research priority for mungbean crop. Characterization of YMD resistance using various advanced molecular and biochemical approaches during plant–virus interactions has unfolded a comprehensive network of pathogen survival, disease severity, and the response of plants to pathogen attack, including mechanisms of YMD resistance in mungbean. The biggest challenge in YMD management is the effective utilization of an array of information gained so far, in an integrated manner for the development of genotypes having durable resistance against yellow mosaic virus (YMV) infection. In this backdrop, this review summarizes the role of various begomoviruses, its genomic components, and vector whiteflies, including cryptic species in the YMD expression. Also, information about the genetics of YMD in both mungbean and blackgram crops is comprehensively presented, as both the species are crossable, and same viral strains are also found affecting these crops. Also, implications of various management strategies including the use of resistance sources, the primary source of inoculums and vector management, wide-hybridization, mutation breeding, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and pathogen-derived resistance (PDR) are thoroughly discussed. Finally, the prospects of employing various powerful emerging tools like translational genomics, and gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 are also highlighted to complete the YMD management perspective in mungbean.