NODULATION MUTANTS OF WHITE BEAN (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i> L.) INDUCED BY ETHYL-METHANE SULPHONATE

Abstract

Seed of the OAC Rico and Swan Valley cultivars of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was treated with 0.04 M ethyl-methane sulphonate (EMS). Screening of M 2 populations in the presence of 8 mM nitrate + 2 mM ammonium, which substantially inhibited nodulation of the parental cultivars revealed nitrate tolerant supernodulating (ntsn), copious nodulating and non-nodulating mutants. One ntsn mutant from 175 M 1 lines of OAC Rico and two ntsn mutants from 467 M 1 lines of Swan Valley were obtained. M 3 progenies derived from the Rico and the one fertile Swan Valley ntsn-mutants (M 2 ) bred true.Key words: Nodulation, dry edible (navy, common) bean, EMS, Phaseolus vulgaris