A Study on EMS and Gamma Mutagenesis of Clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub]

Dry and pure seeds of two clusterbean cultivars (RGC 936 and HGS 365) were treated with gamma rays (10, 20, 30 and 40 kR) and EMS (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 per cent). Gradual reduction in germination and subsequent survival of the treated population were observed with the increased mutagen dose in both cultivars. Four different types of morphological mutants were observed with the maximum mutation frequency of spreading types in case of higher doses of gamma rays. Positive association was observed between mutagen dose and mutation frequency of morphological traits in M2 generation. Three different types of chlorophyll mutant viz. chlorina, xantha and albina were observed: chlorophyll mutants induced with gamma rays had higher frequency than EMS induced mutants. Fifty best performing progenies, identified in M3 on the basis of earliness and higher seed yield, were further tested and fifteen of them were selected in M4 generation. (author)