The availability of commercial quantities of seed of the new mungbean variety White Gold could mean yield increases of between 16 and 32 per cent, with better quality and larger grain also improving access to higher quality markets.

On top of that, according to CSIRO Plant Industry breeder Dr Chunji Liu, White Gold has improved resistance to the serious mungbean diseases tan spot and powdery mildew and appears to have the best resistance to Silver Leaf White Fly.

"Developed by CSIRO Plant Industry with the support of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), White Gold has consistently outperformed all existing varieties at nine field sites across the prime mungbean region stretching from NSW to Queensland," Dr Liu said.

The chairman of the Australian Mungbean Association's seeds committee, Brian Algate, says White Gold's higher quality and disease resistance will boost grower confidence in mungbeans and help the industry expand to its target of 100,000 tonnes production a year.