On a conjecture of Mukai (Q752120)

Let X be a smooth complex Fano variety (i.e. the anticanonical divisor \(- K_ X\) is ample) and consider its pseudoindex p, defined as the smallest intersection index \(-K_ X\cdot C\), when C runs among the rational curves on X. Let r stand for the index of X, i.e. for the largest integer dividing \(-K_ X\) in Pic(X). By using Mori's theory and, in particular, a construction of a family deformation of a rational curve, the author proves that, if \(p>\dim (X)+1\), then \(Pic(X)={\mathbb{Z}}\). Since \(p\geq r\) obviously, the above result can be looked at as a refined version of a conjecture by Mukai claiming that \(Pic(X)={\mathbb{Z}}\) as soon as \(r>\dim (X)+1.\) Furthermore, the result is shown to remain true if \(r=\dim (X)+1\) unless X is isomorphic to \({\mathbb{P}}^{r-1}\times {\mathbb{P}}^{r-1}\). In a more recent paper the author considers the case \(r=\dim (X)+\) and proves that the Picard number is still 1, apart from three exceptions (``On Fano manifolds of large index'', preprint).