Induced mutant for male-sterility of lentil

Full text: Lentil has very small flowers which pose problems in emasculation for cross-breeding. To induce mutations, seeds of variety LL-78 were irradiated with gamma rays 5 to 20 krad. In M2 some male-sterile plants were observed. Male-sterile plants could easily be identified at the start of maturity. They remain green and continue flowering when other plants mature. Due to natural outcrossing a few seeds formed on these male-sterile plants. These were grown in M2 for progeny testing. Some M3 lines were having both normal seed set and male-sterile plants in the ratio of 3 normal : 1 male-sterile, whereas in other lines all the plants were male-sterile. The former are assumed to be genic male-sterile and the latter cytoplasmic male-sterile. When the putative cytoplasmic male-sterile plants were selfed, there was no seed setting. Cytoplasmic male-sterility has not yet been reported in lentil. its use could make cross-breeding easier. (author)