Comparison of hybrid vigor based on parental distance in SSR markers and agronomic traits in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek)

Heterosis of seed yield in mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) has created an interest among plant breeders todevelop hybrid mungbean cultivars. The objective of this study was to compare levels of heterosis among four F1 hybrids ofmungbeans with different genetic distance. The hybrids were developed by using Sukhothai (SKT) as the female parent andpollinated by male parents of different genetic distance as revealed by SSR markers. They were H192 (close distance), C357(moderate distance), TC1965 (high distance) and W166 (very high distance). The results revealed that the F1 from the parentswith larger genetic distance showed higher heterosis in yield per plant and number of pods per plant. Thus SSR markerscombined with yield components can be used to identify parental lines with high genetic distance for hybrid seed productionin mungbean. This approach potentially helps to reduce the amount of fieldwork required for evaluation of F1 hybrids.