Induced mutations for development of B. Juncea canola quality varieties suitable for Indian agro-climatic conditions

'Heera', a canola quality B. juncea selection, was developed at Department of Botany, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur, India. by Late Dr. A. S. Khalatkar during 1992-93. The mutation breeding/hybridization programme was initiated during 1994-95 for developing canola quality early maturing varieties with high yield potential. Dry and presoaked Heera seeds were treated with 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03% EMS with three hours and six hours mutagenic treatments. Five mutants with early maturity (93-95 days) as against 140 days that of parent were evaluated in trials. EH-1 was found superior in yield potential; however, the yield was lower than the control. NU-6 was selected in the segregating generation of EH1 X Pusa Bold with high erucic acid and medium glucosinolate with medium seed size. In another experiment, the mutagenic treatment of 0.04% sodium azide was given to 12 hour water soaked seeds of advanced selection derived from cross EH1 x Pusa Bold. The large seeded mutant PB-7 with zero erucic acid, medium glucosinolate was identified. Extensive hybridization programme using mutants EH-1 and PB7 and mutant derivative NU-6 was initiated. Several selections with low glucosinolate, high erucic acid and canola quality were identified from the cross EH-1 x NU-6. Selection NUDH-YJ-6 with low glucosinolate, high erucic acid, 3.6g test weight and high oil content (46%) was at par in seed yield but 12% higher in oil yield in the multi-location trials of four years during 2003-04 to 2006-07 at ten locations in zone III and zone IV of India. The advance selection derived from EH1 X NU6 was crossed with PB7. Several '00' selections were developed and studied for their agronomic characters. Two selections along with checks were evaluated for two years during 2005-06 and 2006-07. Both these selections were resistant to white rust disease and given seed and oil yield comparable to national check Varuna. Another selection NUDYJ- 5 with canola characters having maturity like Indian mustard varieties with small seed size has been registered with the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (INGR NO-03034), ICAR, New Delhi. (author)