Effects of mutagen on chlorophyll mutation in horse gram (macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam) Verdcourt)

Abstract

The spectrum and frequency of chlorophyll mutations was assessed in M2 generation in local cultivar of Horse gram [Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam) Verdcourt] with a range of EMS (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%), SA (0.05, 0.1 and 0.15%) and NMU (0.4, 0.6 and 0.8%) doses. All the mutagen induced a wider spectrum of chlorophyll mutations. In present investigation Chlorina, Xantha and Viridis were found more frequently which indicates preferential induction of certain type of mutations. Fairly high frequency of chlorophyll mutants was obtained with EMS than in SA, NMU. Dose dependent increase in chlorophyll mutation rate was observed based on plant population and segregating progenies in M2 generation. All the three mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency were higher at higher concentrations of the mutagen. Mutagenic effectiveness, a measure of the frequency of mutations induced per unit dose of mutagen and mutagenic efficiency, proportion of mutations in relation to undesirable effects, were higher with EMS treatments indicates more effective and efficient mutagen than other two.