GAMMA RAY INDUCED VIABLE MUTANTS IN SOYBEAN (Glycine max. (L.) Merrill)

Abstract

Two well recommended high yielding varieties of Soybean for Jharkhand namely, BSS-2 and RKS-18 were exposed to five different doses (50 Gy, 100 Gy, 150 Gy, 200Gy and 400 Gy) of gamma rays using cobalt 60 (Co60) sources of Gamma chamber at Bhabha Atomic & Research Centre, Mumbai and their M2 progenies were screened thoroughly. Morphological (viable) mutants were observed and recorded in M2 generation from early seedling stage till physiological maturity with different doses of Gamma rays. The frequency of viable mutants ranged from 3.12% to 53.12% in variety BSS-2, while it ranged from 3.25% to 100% in the variety RKS-18. The viable mutation frequency was found increasing with increase in dose of mutagen in both the varieties BSS-2 and RKS-18. In the variety,BSS-2 the maximum number of viable mutants was isolated in the lowest dose (50Gy) dose, while in the variety RKS-18 the highest number of viable mutants was found in 50Gy and 100Gy showing that lower doses are more effective in inducing mutants than higher doses (200Gy and 400Gy). The present study reveals a good scope for isolation of induced morphological mutants of Soybean which can be utilized in future breeding programme.