INDUCED MUTATION STUDIES IN FINGER MILLET (ELEUSINE CORACANA GAERTN.)

Abstract

Varieties A404 and HR 374 of finger millet, treated with gamma rays, EMS, and their combinations gave mutant types of agronomic and academic interests. The deviations in Ml generation included dwarf plants, dwarf plants with leaning growth habit, grassy nonflowering type, tall with elongated internode, panicle with gappy rachis, panicle with extra large glumes, panicle with extra distal thumb, sterile panicle with twisted fingers, panicle profusely branched. In Mz generation chlorophyll mutants, albina, xantha, viridis, striata and tigrina were obtained. Higher doses of all mutagenic treatments affected pollen fertility adversely and produced morphological deformities. The efficiency and effectiveness were high at the lower doses of mutagens in both the varieties. EMS (0.2"/0) was more effective than the lower dose of gamma rays in both the varieties.