Agricultural Reviews

In vitro mutation can create novel and unique variations when the natural variability does not provide the genes for the desired trait. The creation of variability is the starting point in any breeding programme of an agronomically accepted cultivar rather than a genetic stock of no direct commercial value with many undesirable attributes. In in vitro mutation, the LD₅₀ value for shoot tip explants was 2.00 kR gamma rays and 750 mM EMS. Similarly, the LD₅₀ value for callus culture was 1.0 kR gamma rays and 200 mM EMS. The callus derived in vitro mutants exerted negative genotypic and phenotypic correlation was expressed by forskolin content. The work on in vitro mutation in different horticultural crops has been reviewed in this article.