2025/05/28 by Caitlin Dudley, Shanice Van Haeften, Samir Alahmad +9 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Soybean genetics and cultivation #Agricultural pest management studies #Genetic and Environmental Crop Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/jxb/eraf222
openalex publication_date 2025/05/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Mungbean (Vigna radiata), a valuable sub-tropical grain legume, typically has a long, asynchronous flowering window, which increases vulnerability to abiotic stress and complicates harvesting. To facilitate breeding efforts, we conducted an extensive study of days to flowering (DTF) and the novel trait flowering duration (FD) in multi-environment trials. A diverse nested association mapping population was evaluated across four field trials in Queensland, Australia. Extensive phenotypic variation was observed for both DTF (35-70 d after sowing) and FD (20-60 d). Both traits displayed Genotype × Environment interactions, with FD showing stronger environmental interactions than DTF. No relationship was evident between DTF and FD across environments. Genome-wide association studies identified eight quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for DTF and one for FD, with none overlapping. The accumulation of early or late alleles at DTF QTLs was associated with variations in flowering time. These results show for the first time in mungbean that DTF and FD are independent traits with distinct genetic controls and environmental responses, providing a mechanistic understanding of how flowering patterns may be optimised to potentially enhance adaptation and performance in diverse agricultural environments challenged by climate change.