MH 1142 Green Gram (Moong) – New Haryana Variety
MH 1142 is a newly released high-yielding green gram (moong bean) variety developed by Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar. It was officially notified in 2020 for cultivation in the northwestern and northeastern plains of India (including Haryana) during the kharif (monsoon) season. MH 1142 matures in about 63–70 days and is bred for high yield and disease resistance.
Release and Yield Potential
MH 1142 was released in 2020 by CCSHAU Hisar as a kharif moong variety. Field trials indicate an average yield of about 11–12 quintals per hectare (1100–1200 kg/ha). This is roughly equivalent to 4.5–5 quintals per acre (about 450–485 kg/acre) under good management. In trials it averaged around 12 q/ha, with a potential yield as high as 20 q/ha under ideal conditions. By comparison, older Haryana varieties like Basanti (MH 125, released 2010) average 12–15 q/ha, while another HAU variety MH 318 (2015) averaged about 14 q/ha. Thus, MH 1142’s yield is broadly on par with these established varieties, but it brings improved disease resistance (below).
Key Agronomic Features
Growth habit and duration: MH 1142 is a semi-erect (semi-spreading) plant of medium height. It matures in about 63–70 days after sowing, making it a short-duration kharif crop.
Disease and pest resistance: This variety has strong resistance to major moong diseases. It is resistant to mungbean yellow mosaic virus (MYMV) and root rot, and is moderately resistant to fungal diseases like anthracnose and powdery mildew. This broad disease resistance helps reduce crop losses and can lower the need for fungicides. (For example, in national trials MH 1142 showed only moderate anthracnose and powdery mildew incidence.) Farmers should still monitor for whitefly (the vector of MYMV) and other pests, and follow integrated pest management as usual.
Seed and grain quality: The seeds of MH 1142 are medium-sized, bright green, and shiny. The pods are black. These characteristics (semi-erect plant with attractive green seeds) are desirable traits for marketability. Grain quality is considered good, with bold seed shape similar to other improved mung varieties.
Adaptation: MH 1142 was bred specifically for rainfed and irrigated kharif conditions in northern India. It is recommended for the North Western and North Eastern Plain Zones (states like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand). It performs well on the alluvial soils of Haryana under timely rainfall or irrigation. Its moderate height and semi-erect habit make it relatively lodging-resistant.
Comparison with Other Varieties
MH 1142 builds on the performance of earlier varieties from HAU Hisar. For instance, Basanti (MH 125) (2010 release) is a popular Haryana variety yielding about 12–15 q/ha, and MH 318 (2015) yields roughly 14 q/ha in kharif. MH 1142’s yield (~11–12 q/ha) is similar to those and markedly higher than older local lines (typical local yields are below 8–9 q/ha). The advantage of MH 1142 is its improved disease resistance: Basanti and other older lines have little anthracnose/powdery mildew tolerance, whereas MH 1142 is bred to withstand these diseases better. (MH 318 also resists MYMV, but MH 1142 adds anthracnose/powdery resistance.) MH 1142 also matures in 2–3 days less than Basanti and MH 318 (63–70 days vs. 64–70 or 60–65 days, respectively), which can help avoid late-season rains.
In summary, MH 1142 matches or slightly exceeds the yield of previous Haryana mung varieties while adding a broader disease resistance package. It is therefore recommended as a replacement or alternative to Basanti/MH 125 and MH 318 for kharif mung in Haryana and similar regions.
Cultivation Practices
To achieve the best yields with MH 1142, farmers should follow standard improved mung cultivation practices:
Sowing time: Sow at the onset of the southwest monsoon (around mid-June to early July in Haryana) when soil moisture is assured. Timely sowing helps the crop mature before winter cold.
Land preparation: Prepare a fine, weed-free seedbed. Moong grows best on well-drained loamy soils. Add 8–10 t/ha of farmyard manure or compost 10–15 days before sowing to improve soil fertility.
Seed treatment: Treat seeds with a fungicide (e.g. Carbendazim or Thiram) before sowing to control seed-borne diseases. Also use a Rhizobium inoculant to ensure good root nodulation and nitrogen fixation.
Seed rate and spacing: Use about 15–20 kg/ha of seed (about 6–8 kg per acre) for row planting in kharif. Sow in rows spaced 45 cm apart, with plants thinned to ~5–10 cm within rows. These spacings allow good light and air flow, minimizing disease. (For a smallholder, this translates to roughly 4–5 kg of seed per acre, broadcast or dibbled in rows.)
Fertilization: Moong is a light feeder. Apply a basal dose of 15–20 kg N/ha and 30–40 kg P₂O₅/ha at sowing (about 100 kg of DAP fertilizer provides roughly this N–P). In practice, 12–15 kg urea and 100 kg DAP per hectare is common. No nitrogenous top-dressing is usually needed after sowing since moong fixes its own nitrogen. Boron and zinc may be applied if soils are deficient, as moong responds to these micronutrients.
Irrigation: Moong is relatively drought-tolerant and often grown rainfed, but a light irrigation at flowering can boost yields in dryer areas. Generally no more than 1–2 irrigations are required: one at flowering and one at pod-fill, if needed.
Weed control: Early weeding is critical, as moong seedlings grow slowly and are outcompeted by weeds. Apply a pendimethalin-based pre-emergence herbicide after sowing (if available and recommended locally), and intercultural hoeing or thinning at 20–25 days after sowing to control weeds. After canopy closure, little weeding is needed.
Pest and disease management: Although MH 1142 is resistant to MYMV, anthracnose and powdery mildew, scouts should still watch for whitefly, pod borers and other common pests. If MYMV pressure is high, an insecticide to control whitefly (e.g. imidacloprid) can be applied when infestation appears. Use clean seed and rotate with non-host crops to reduce disease carryover.
Harvesting: Moong matures quickly; pods ripen in 2–3 weeks. Harvest when ~80% pods turn brown but before shattering. Thresh and dry the seeds properly to maintain the “shiny green” seed quality of MH 1142.
Following these practices will help MH 1142 reach its yield potential (around 12 q/ha). Improved seeds of MH 1142 (variety code 1142) are being made available through the National Seed Corporation (NSC) and state seed farms (HAU Hisar CSF). Using certified seed and recommended crop management can increase yields substantially over farmer saved or local varieties – one study showed MH 1142 yielding ~13.5 q/ha under KVK guidance versus ~9.1 q/ha under traditional practice (about a 48% increase).
Development and Release
MH 1142 was developed by the Pulse Breeding program at CCS Haryana Agricultural University (Hisar), with support from the All India Coordinated Research Project on MULLaRP (legumes) and the Haryana state agricultural system. It was nationally released through notification (S.O. 3482(E) dated 7.10.2020) for cultivation across northern India. CCSHAU Hisar was the originating centre. After release, the Haryana government’s Department of Agriculture and Krishi Vigyan Kendras have promoted MH 1142 seed in the state, and it is listed under the national seed certification schemes (Haryana Seed Act). The variety’s development and approval involved multidisciplinary teams of plant breeders, pathologists and agronomists at HAU Hisar and validation trials under ICAR.