Farmers in New South Wales and Queensland are set to increase their mungbean yields 16 to 32 per cent and improve access to higher quality markets with the release of the new mungbean variety - White Gold.

Developed by CSIRO Plant Industry - from research funded by 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.

"White Gold has proven yield advantages and industry is hopeful of exporting to high value markets as the seed is 15 per cent larger," says Dr Chunji Liu, CSIRO Plant Industry.

"White Gold also has improved resistance to both tan spot and powdery mildew - both serious diseases of mungbean."

Other research shows that White Gold is demonstrating the best resistance to Silver Leaf White Fly.

Most of Australia's mungbean crop is exported for mungbean sprouts, cooked mungbeans or for mungbean flour that is used to make noodles and other traditional Asian foods.

"Mungbean quality is critical for our export markets that are increasingly demanding premium quality," says Mr Brian Algate, Chair of the Seeds Committee, Australian Mungbean Association.

"Grower confidence in mungbeans will be bolstered with White Gold's higher quality and disease resistance helping the industry expand to its target of 100,000 tonnes per year."

Mr Algate also said that that this year is shaping up to be a good one for Australian mungbean growers as adverse weather conditions in other countries could reduce how much mungbean they have for export leaving more opportunities for Australian producers.

Mungbean is a relatively drought tolerant summer rotation crop suitable for the warmer regions of Australia, that generates a valuable income in its own right while returning nitrogen to the soil.

The Australian Mungbean Association has released White Gold this season and seed is available through Australian Mungbean Association members or local seed suppliers.

This research was undertaken in collaboration with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and the NSW Department of Primary Industries with the support of the GRDC.