Abstract: Mung beans (Vigna radiata L.) are rich in health-promoting phenolics. This study presents a systematic in-vestigation of the phenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity across 182 diverse mung bean accessions, docu-menting genotypic variation. Comprehensive analyses revealed that variations in total phenolic content (0.40-1.54 mg GAE/g DW) and total flavonoids (0.78-4.65 mg RE/g DW) are strongly correlated with an-tioxidant capacity. The measures of antioxidant activity analyzed include ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), and ABTS (2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) tentatively identified 31 phenolics (including flavonoids, phenolic acids, and coumarins), with the C-glycosyl flavone isovitexin (243-1734 μg/g DW) predominating. Gene-expression analysis of 24 representative genotypes revealed that transcript levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) are correlated with phenolic accumulation. Signifi-cant variations associated with genotype and geographical origin were observed, with genotypes Jinlv 7 (Shanxi) and Sulv 6 (Jiangsu) exhibiting superior phenolic and antioxidant profiles, making them potential candidates for breeding programs. These results provide a scientific basis for breeding highly phenolic mung beans in order to develop functional foods and natural antioxidants.

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