Study on the effect of chemical and physical mutagen on seed germination of Indian mustard

Abstract

Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L) Czern & coss.] is considered as one of the most important vegetable oil and protein meal crops in the Indian subcontinent. Seeds of Indian Mustard Brassica juncea (L) cultivars Shivani and Pusa Bold were treated with EMS (0.3%) and gamma rays (900-1100 Gy) to study germination and other quantitative traits. Gamma rays as a kind of ionizing radiation represent a physical mutagen that induces mutations and may be effectively used in plant breeding. Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is a chemical extensively used to set off mutations at loci that adjust economically vital traits. During these experiments, we observed seed germination percentage in the M1 generation was highest in Pusa Bold then followed by Shivani. An increase in doses of gamma rays and the concentration of EMS reduced the percentage of germination.