Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is a crop extensively cultivated in Southeast Asia
for supply of easily digestible protein. However, salinity severely limits
the growth and productivity of mungbean, while weeding poses nutritional and
disease constraints to mungbean cultivation. To pyramid both salt tolerance
and protection against herbicide in mungbean, Sanjeev Kumar from Indian
Institute of Technology Guwahati co-expressed the AtNHX1 gene, encoding
tonoplast Na+/H+ antiporter from Arabidopsis, and the bar gene, associated
with herbicide resistance, in mungbean through Agrobacterium-mediated
transformation.

Stress inducible expression of AtNHX1 significantly improved the tolerance
to salt stress of transgenic mungbean plants compared to the wild type (WT)
plants. Meanwhile, expression of bar provided resistance to herbicide.
Compared to WT, transgenic mungbean plants grew better under high salt
stress in the greenhouse. Transgenic plants also showed better intracellular
ion homeostasis, osmoregulation, reduced cell membrane damage, improved
photosynthetic capacity, and transpiration rate as compared to WT under salt
stress.

This study presents a good foundation for improving mungbean yield in saline
lands in Southeast Asia.

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