Induced mutagenesis for the improvement of pulse crops with special reference to Mung Bean: A Review update

Abstract

In the era of burgeoning human population, the ghosts of hunger are making its impact among millions of people all around. The conditions are worse at present due to growing undernourishment (FAO, The state of food insecurity in the world economic crises impacts and lessons learned. Tenth progress report on world hunger, FAO, United Nations, Rome, 2009). The rescue lies in tailoring the better varieties of crop plants, rich in nutrition and high in yield. Pulses are cherished for their lavishness in proteins which make them indispensable in daily human diet. The breeding of pulses by traditional methods has been practiced for centuries; however, these conventional methods are now insufficient to make any further breakthrough to cope with the world’s mounting food demand. The major constraint in the development of improved varieties is the limited genetic variability among the existing genotypes. Induced mutagenesis is one of those novel techniques, which impart variation in subject crops through sustainable approach. A vast amount of genetic variability of both quantitative and qualitative traits has been generated through experimental mutagenesis in the past 30 years. Characterization of mutated traits has greatly advanced our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of important traits. Considering the fact that mutations are generally deleterious, the number of mutant cultivars released globally in major food crops especially pulses with novel traits is still impressive. Although the crop improvement work on mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) and other legumes has been in progress for the past several years at different state agriculture universities and ICAR institutes in India, the programs lack organized and coordinated efforts in achieving the desired goals. In recent times, the pulse crops started receiving substantial impel under the All India Coordinated Programme on Improvement of Pulses (AICPIP). Mutagenic agents, physical as well as chemical, singly or in combination, are used to induce mutations and generate variation from which desired mutants may be selected. However, basic information on effectiveness and efficiency of various mutagens, their mutation rates, and possible role in generating polygenic variability is scanty among the pulses in general and mung bean in particular. Therefore, the present review enfolds various aspects of contemporary knowledge of pulse crop improvement programs through induced mutations, biotechnological approaches, molecular advances, and new parameters of selection.