Effectiveness and efficiency of mutagenic agents on quantitative characters of Physalis philadelphica

Physalis philadelphica is commonly called as Mexican husk tomato. It is native of Mexico and belongs to family Solanaceae. This plant widely grown as a minor crop and extensively used in western countries A steroid Physalin extracted from leaves and roots has prophylactic and therapeutic properties for treating infections caused by protozoans. This species attracts considerable attention because of its economic as well as medicinal properties. Information relating to the occurrence of mutations either induced or spontaneous in species of Physalis is meagre. Therefore with a view to widen the variability for subsequent selection of useful phenotypes it was thought worthwhile to employ three accession of Physalis philadelphica in mutagenic investigations and study the relative effects on their genetic architecture, as such studies have not been carried out in this manner in any taxa of Physalis philadelphica. In view of this the seeds of Physalis philadelphica were subjected to different doses of physical (gamma-rays) and chemical mutagenic agent (EMS and NMU). The experimental material comprises 3 accessions (P₁, P₂, P₃) of Physalis philadelphica. The accessions were true breeding and confirmed to the description of the species. About 3000 dry, dormant seeds with a moisture content of 8% were exposed to gamma rays ranging from 5–50 kR at a dose rate of 5 kR/mt in a gamma chamber ‘900’ and EMS (Ethylmethane sulphonate) and NMU (Nitro n-methyl urea) with different concentrations of 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% with a duration of 8h. and 16h. The effectiveness and efficiency of mutagens on germination per cent, survival rate, mature plant parameters and pollen fertility of Physalis philidelphica present paper.