1Department of Botany, Shri Anand College, Pathardi, 414102, Maharashtra, India.
2Department of Botany, H.P.T. Arts and R.Y.K. Science College, Nashik, 422005, Maharashtra, India.
3Jijamata College of Arts and Science, Bhende, Dist. Ahmednagar, 41 3713, Maharashtra, India.
Three mutagens, sodium azide (SA), ethylmethane sulphonate (EMS) and gamma radiation (GR) were employed to induce genetic variability in chickpea cultivar Vishwas. Different kind of mutations viz., chlorophyll mutations (chlorina and xantha); leaf mutations (round, curly, gigas, compact and narrow); pod mutations (large, long, small roundish, narrow elongated and small); seed mutations (wrinkled, bold, dark brown, bold dark brown); flower mutations (two tier and open); morphological mutations (bold seeded, small pod, early and tall) were observed in M2 generation. Induced mutant lines showed both positive and negative increase in the quantitative traits. Tall mutant lines obtained after 16 mM EMS treatment was tallest with increase in number of pods and number of seeds. Mutagenic treatments also caused changes in seed size and seed coat. Variations are observed for crude protein, globulin and albumin content in mutants. The highest heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for quantitative traits like plant height and number of pods plant−1 for the mutants in the chickpea cv. Vishwas.
Chickpea, EMS, Gamma radiation, Heritability, Variability
