Induced genetic variation for seed quality traits in groundnut

Abstract

Seeds of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) cultivars JL24 and ICGV88448 were treated with 0.3% ethyl methanesulfonate for 8 h and grown in the field. 25 M3 progenies with altered fatty acid composition were selected and advanced for 4 generations. Finally, 14 phenotypically uniform mutants were evaluated for seed quality at Patancheru during 1995-97. Oil contents, oleic acid contents and oleic acid/linoleic ratio were increased in 6 mutants.