Division of Biochemistry, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
* National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
Low ODAP somaclones have been evaluated for physiological and biochemical parameters especially in relation to attributes that lead to increased biomass production. All the somaclones during development had substantially lower ODAP content in leaves as compared to parent P24. Considerable variation was observed in relation to leaf width, leaf length, internodal length and leaf area. Somaclone Bio L12 had the highest whereas parent P24 and Bio 164 had the least leaf area. Harvest index was the highest and biomass production was the lowest in the Bio 164. Bio LOS gave the highest seed yield. Photosynthetic rates were also higher in Bio L12, although no significant positive correlation was observed in leaf photosynthesis and seed yield. The differences in physiological and biochemical parameters indicate the possibility of development of high yielding genotypes. The results in present investigation show differences in photosynthetic rate, leaf characteristics, seed yield and ODAP content among somalones and parent. Somaclones with extremely low ODAP content with variability in leaf morphology and photosynthetic rate is indicative of variation induced during plant tissue culture.
Lathyrus, somaclones, photosynthesis, ODAP, yield, leaf characteristics
