An induced flower colour mutant in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.)

Abstract

Reports of flower colour mutation are quite scanty in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L) [1and2]. A flower colour mutation isolated in grass pea through gamma rays irradiation is reported here. Dry seeds of grass pea (Var. Bio R231) were treated with different doses (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 kR) of gamma rays. The treated seeds were sown under identical conditions in experimental field plots keeping uniformly 30 em. and 50 em. distance between the different plants and lines respectively to raise M, progenies. Fifty four M, seeds were sown in the following generation under R.B.D. during winter season in 1998 to obtain M2 progenies. While screening the M2 plants individually, out of the 49 plants, 3 violet flower colour mutant plants were isolated in the samples treated with 15 kR gamma ray and these were distinguished from the control plants having blue col0ured petals.