Mungbean ‘Virat’ (IPM 205-7) is the world’s first extra-early synchronous mungbean variety, developed by the Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur. It matures in 52-55 days, allowing for a single harvest, making it one of the most efficient pulse crops available today. Its early maturity and adaptability to diverse agro-climatic regions have positioned it as a key variety for diversifying traditional Indian farming systems, particularly in areas dominated by rice-wheat and rice-rice cropping patterns.
With a share exceeding 25% in the national breeder seed indent, and an expected cultivation area of over 3 lakh hectares, Virat is playing a crucial role in enhancing India’s pulse production and ensuring food security. Its ability to fit seamlessly into various crop rotations makes it an invaluable asset for Indian farmers looking to optimize land utilization.
Expanding Cultivation Across Diverse Agro-Climatic Regions
Indo-Gangetic Plains
The Indo-Gangetic plains, known for their traditional rice-wheat cropping system, have now embraced Virat mungbean as a valuable rotational crop. Introducing Virat into these plains improves soil fertility, reduces pest buildup, and allows farmers to maximize annual yield cycles.
Canal Command Areas of Central India
Virat is extensively grown in canal command areas, where irrigation availability ensures optimal plant growth. Farmers in this region benefit from Virat’s short duration, enabling multiple cropping cycles per year and helping enhance total productivity.
New Delta Areas of the Southern Peninsula
The rice-rice system of southern India has traditionally left limited scope for diversification. However, Virat offers a viable alternative, introducing crop rotation opportunities that improve soil health and reduce disease prevalence caused by continuous rice cultivation.
With these diverse growing zones, Virat mungbean has become an integral part of sustainable Indian agriculture, allowing farmers to optimize their land while maintaining high yields.
Importance of Short-Duration Mungbean Varieties
Global and National Relevance
Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) is a short-duration grain legume cultivated across South and Southeast Asia, Australia, West Indies, North and South America, and tropical regions of Africa. India is the largest producer of mungbean globally, accounting for 65% of total acreage and 54% of worldwide production.
Need for Short-Duration Genotypes
Traditional mungbean varieties require longer growth periods, often resulting in yield losses due to extreme heat waves during pod-filling and maturity stages. This issue is particularly significant in spring/summer-sown crops, where exposure to high temperatures can negatively affect seed development.
Virat addresses these challenges through:
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Completing its lifecycle in approximately 50 days, reducing exposure to temperature extremes.
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Escaping heat stress, allowing for optimal pod development and higher seed quality.
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Fitting seamlessly into various crop rotations, enhancing overall agricultural efficiency.
By offering a quick turnaround between rabi harvests and kharif planting, Virat ensures higher farm incomes and improved land productivity.
Development and Breeding History
Breeding Strategy
Virat (IPM 205-7 / IC0589309) was developed through pedigree breeding, derived from a cross between ‘IPM 02-1 × EC 398889’. The breeding process emphasized:
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Short stature, ensuring efficient nutrient utilization.
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Erect plant architecture, facilitating easy mechanized and manual harvesting.
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Synchronous maturity, allowing for uniform pod filling and single-harvest efficiency.
These genetic improvements ensure higher farmer profitability, making Virat one of the most sought-after mungbean varieties in India.
Morphological Traits
Virat exhibits distinctive morphological characteristics that contribute to its high adaptability and yield potential:
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Short-statured, erect plants, allowing compact spacing for dense planting.
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Green, ovate leaves with entire margins, optimizing photosynthesis.
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Green stems with purple splashes, providing disease resistance advantages.
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Light yellow flowers, marking its uniqueness within mungbean varieties.
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Short, straight pods that turn black on maturity, ensuring easy identification for harvesting.
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Green, shining seeds, improving market appeal and increasing consumer preference.
These traits make Virat a strong candidate for improving productivity and crop management efficiency across various farming systems.
Agronomic Performance and Yield Superiority
Early Maturity Advantage
Virat mungbean demonstrates a significant maturity advantage over other varieties. Under Kanpur conditions, Virat matured in 46-48 days, while traditional check varieties required 55-67 days to reach maturity. This 11-19 day advantage allows farmers to:
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Plant an additional crop within the same season.
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Ensure efficient land utilization.
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Reduce dependency on high-input crops requiring prolonged growth periods.
Resistance to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV)
Virat is resistant to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus (MYMV), a prevalent disease that adversely affects mungbean productivity. MYMV resistance ensures:
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Higher yield stability, reducing crop losses.
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Lower disease management costs, improving farmer profitability.
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Enhanced quality of harvested seeds, strengthening market competitiveness.
This genetic trait makes Virat a highly dependable choice for farmers seeking a low-risk, high-yield mungbean variety.
Potential Uses and Future Prospects
Genetic Contribution to Future Breeding Programs
Virat’s exceptional early-maturity trait makes it an ideal donor variety for future breeding efforts. By incorporating Virat’s genetic background into other agronomically superior mungbean varieties, scientists can develop high-yielding, short-duration mungbean hybrids optimized for diverse Indian landscapes.
Enhancing Food Security and Nutritional Value
Mungbean is a rich source of protein, vitamins, and essential minerals, making it an integral part of Indian diets. Virat’s high-yield and quick turnover cycle can contribute significantly to:
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Increasing mungbean availability in both domestic and international markets.
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Boosting India’s pulse self-sufficiency and reducing dependency on imports.
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Providing farmers with a sustainable crop choice for improving nutrition security.
Given the rising global demand for plant-based proteins, Virat has the potential to strengthen India's position in the international pulse trade.
Mungbean ‘Virat’ (IPM 205-7) revolutionizes pulse farming in India with early maturity, disease resistance, and high yield. Its adaptability across agro-climatic zones enhances cropping systems, boosts farmer incomes, and supports food security. As research and seed distribution advance, Virat remains vital for sustainable agriculture and national pulse productivity.
