Effect of leaflet size and number on agronomic and physiological traits of mungbean

Abstract

SUMMARYThe current work was designed to compare 13 agronomic and four physiological traits in mungbean isogenic lines (ILs) with different leaflet sizes and numbers. The IL population was developed from a cross made in 2006 at Kasetsart University, Thailand, between two pure lines (one with five small and the other with seven large leaflets), followed by continuous selfing of the progenies until F6. The resulting four IL families each exhibited seven leaflet types, viz. three normal-sized leaflets per leaf, seven large leaflets, nine large, five small, seven small, nine small or 11 small. A trial was conducted in 2008 to compare the 28 ILs using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The large multiple-leaflet lines gave higher values for seeds/pod, pod size, seed weight, seed yield, leaf area, leaf area index and proportion of light interception, but fewer clusters of pods, branches and pods per plant than the small multiple-leaflet ILs. Seed yield/plant was positively correlated with pods/plant, seeds/pod, mean seed weight, light interception, leaf area and plant height at maturity. Leaflet size showed association with more traits than did leaflet number.