What is it about?
Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is a vital legume crop in Asia, valued for its nutritional richness, short growth cycle, and nitrogen-fixing ability, making it central to sustainable agriculture. Traditional breeding has improved varieties but remains constrained by limited genetic diversity and complex traits, leaving mungbean vulnerable to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses. This chapter highlights how modern genomic tools—particularly whole genome sequencing (WGS) and CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing—are reshaping mungbean improvement. WGS has mapped key genes linked to resistance (e.g., bruchid and powdery mildew), seed size, and plant architecture, while transcriptomics has revealed stress-response pathways. CRISPR/Cas9 offers precision in trait modification, drawing on successes in other legumes and crops. Yet, challenges persist: low transformation efficiency, regeneration difficulties, and off-target effects hinder progress. Innovative strategies such as tissue-specific promoters, high-fidelity Cas9 variants, ribonucleoprotein delivery, viral vectors, and nanotechnology-based methods are proposed to overcome these barriers. Emerging techniques like base and prime editing further enhance accuracy. By integrating gene editing with conventional breeding, the chapter envisions accelerated development of resilient, high-yielding mungbean varieties. Ultimately, these advances are positioned as crucial for addressing global food security and ensuring sustainable crop production.
Featured Image
Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash
Why is it important?
It is important because mungbean is a staple legume in Asia, yet remains vulnerable to pests, diseases, and climate stress. Conventional breeding alone cannot keep pace with these challenges. Gene editing and genomic tools provide precise, faster solutions to improve yield, resilience, and nutritional quality. By overcoming current technical barriers, these innovations can secure sustainable production, strengthen food security, and support farmers in adapting to environmental change.
Perspectives
The future of mungbean improvement lies in integrating advanced gene editing with conventional breeding. CRISPR/Cas9 and emerging tools like base and prime editing promise precise trait modification, but technical barriers such as transformation efficiency and off-target effects must be overcome. Innovative delivery systems—viral vectors, nanotechnology, and ribonucleoprotein complexes—are highlighted as potential solutions. By combining these approaches with genomic insights, researchers can accelerate the development of resilient, high-yielding mungbean varieties. This perspective emphasizes that gene editing is not just a technical advance but a strategic necessity for ensuring sustainable agriculture and global food security.
Dr. Kanmani Bharathi J
Annamalai University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Gene Editing in Mungbean: Opportunities and Challenges, January 2026, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/978-981-95-7637-1_10.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
