Biology subjects

Boddepalli, V. N.

Publications and source records attributed to Boddepalli, V. N..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Defining the Growth Stages of Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) using the BBCH Scale

Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) is a protein-rich food grain legume that fixes nitrogen and serves as a potential crop for the plant-based protein industry. It can fit in multiple cropping systems as a short-duration and low-water requirement crop. Phenological growth stages of mungbean are described here for the first time according to the BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, and Chemische Industrie) scale. We developed an extended BBCH chart with a two-digit scale to identify different phenological growth stages of mungbean. This study documented and illustrated the key growth stages of mungbean from germination to maturity, correlating them with the number of days after planting and accumulated growing degree days (GDD). It outlines the principal growth stages (PS) as follows: germination (PS-0), leaf development (PS-1), stem elongation (PS-3), flower bud development (PS-5), flowering (PS-6), fruit development (PS-7), ripening (PS-8), and senescence (PS-9). This chart can help track the key mungbean growth and developmental stages. Most importantly, this BBCH growth stages chart fills a gap in the literature by providing a practical tool for researchers and growers to standardize crop management practices, develop simulation models, and assess performance under various environmental conditions. The standardized scale enhances the precision of timing agricultural interventions, ultimately supporting improved mungbean production in the region.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2025

AI-assisted Image-Based Phenotyping Reveals Genetic Architecture of Pod Traits in Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)

Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) is a vital source of digestible proteins and is well-suited for the plant-based protein industry. In this study, we analyzed pod morphological traits in the Iowa Mungbean Diversity (IMD) panel with 372 genotypes (2022-23) with AI-assisted image phenotyping using 2,418 pod images. Pod morphological traits were extracted using deep learning image analysis, achieving excellent agreement with manual measurements (r>0.96 for pod length and seed per pod). Four complementary GWAS models identified 45 significant SNPs associated with pod curvature, length, width, and seed per pod traits. Notably, a significant SNP (5_35265704) on chromosome 1 was linked to pod dimensional traits, length, width, and curvature. A candidate gene, Vradi01g00001116, was located within the linkage disequilibrium (LD) region of this SNP, is part of the GH3 gene family, and has an Arabidopsis ortholog (AT4G27260) known for influencing organ elongation, pod, and seed development. Another SNP, 5_210437 on chromosome 2, has been found to be significantly associated with both pod length and seed per pod. A candidate gene, Vradi02g00003971, located in the LD region of this SNP, belongs to the potassium transporter family and shares homology with the HAK5 gene family (AT4G13420) in Arabidopsis, which influences pod and seed growth. Image-based measurements achieved genomic prediction accuracies ranging from 0.61 to 0.85 across various traits, exhibiting an improvement of 12-22% over manual methods. These results demonstrate the potential of AI-assisted phenomics integrated with genomic tools to accelerate selection for improved pod architecture in mungbean breeding programs across the Midwestern United States and globally.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2025

The demographic history, genomic variation, and transcontinental genotype-phenotype-environment map of mungbean

The breeding of mungbean, a crucial Asian legume, has been hampered by the lack of genomic resources. The International Mungbean Improvement Network (IMIN) aims to ensure global access to diverse germplasms and genomic resources. Using 780 worldwide wild and cultivated accessions, we report this species most comprehensive (pan)genomic variation, demographic history, and genotype-phenotype-environment map. Despite archaeological evidence of the earliest cultivation in South Asia, present-day wild populations only possess relict traces of shared polymorphisms with cultivars. We showed that parallel losses of black seed coats in two Vigna species were caused by the same mutational mechanism in the same gene. In large-scale cross-continent field trials, we found accessions from distant environments from the trial sites have lower performance, especially in high-heritability and high-yield sites, suggesting future breeding priority in benign conditions on accessions from similar environments. Our comprehensive genomic and trial resources facilitate future breeding success of this essential crop.

evolutionary biology↗