Confirmation of Candidature - Candidate : Begita Adhikari

Mung bean (Vigna radiata) is a leguminous crop of economic and nutritional importance. It is rich in vitamin A and protein, and being a short duration crop, requires low input and is suitable as rotational crop. The worldwide yield of mung bean is relatively low due to several biotic and abiotic constraints, including plant-parasitic nematodes. Mung bean is among the susceptible hosts of the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei, as the root of this crop facilitates a suitable environment for the growth and multiplication of these nematodes. Genetic resistance is by far the most sustainable, environment friendly and effective method to control plant-parasitic nematodes. Four hundred and forty-three accessions from the Australian mung bean diversity set, that represent wide phenotypic diversity in many observable traits is being evaluated for P. thornei resistance through glasshouse phenotyping. Considering the large sample size of the experiment, a quantitative real-time PCR assay will be implemented to quantify nematode reproduction. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) will be used to identify sources of resistance and associated molecular markers that will be valuable breeding toolsto improve P. thornei resistance in mung bean.

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