AN INDUCED FASCIATED MUTANT OF CHICKPEA (CrCER ARIETINUM 1.)

Abstract

A fasciated mutant characterized by broadened and flattened stem, irregular leaf arrangement and clustering of pods at the stem tip was induced in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cv. 'JG-315' through mutagenesis with ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS). It was isolated in the M2 derived from seeds treated with 0.4% EMS for 6 h. The mutant had delayed maturity, larger seed size and yielded less as compared to its parental cultivar. It was designated as /Jawahar gram mutant-2' (JGM-2). The fasciation was found to be governed by a single recessive gene which segregated independently of the loci slv (simple leaf), mlv (multipinnate leaf), blv (bronze leaf) and B (blue flowed. The fasciation has been transferred to different genetic background.