Characterisation of an induced mutant and its inheritance in grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.)

Abstract

In the present communication an induced mutant showing unique morphological variations in the post irradiated M2 progeny of grasspea (Lathurys sativus L.) has been described highlighting inheritance pattern of the mutant traits. A persual of literature depicts only limited information about morphological mutations in grasspea [1-3]. Dry and healthy seeds of grasspea Var., Bio R-231 were treated with different doses of gamma rays (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 kR) for the induction of mutations. The post-irradiated seeds were grown treatment wise in separate plots under identical conditions keeping 30 em. and 50 em. distance uniformly between the plots and rows, respectively, to obtain the M1 generation. Seeds harvested separately from individual M1 plants were sown in different rows following R.B.D. during rabi, 1998 to raise the M2 generation. An exstipulate mutant was detected in the M2 generation and the selfed seeds (58) of the mutant were grown for raising M3 progenies.