Mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency of gamma rays and ems on chilli (Capsicum annum L.)

The present investigation was carried out to find the efficiency and effectiveness of various mutagenic treatments of gamma rays and EMS on chilli var. Kashi Anmol. An experiment was conducted during winters of 2017-18 and 2018-19 at Vegetable Research Farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. The experimental design was randomized block design. Treatments include one control, five doses of gamma rays (10 kR, 20 kR, 30 kR, 40 kR and 50 kR), five doses of EMS (10 mM, 20 mM, 30 mM, 40 mM and 50 mM) and their combinations (gamma rays 10 kR + 20 mM EMS, gamma rays 20 kR + 20 mM EMS, gamma rays 30 kR + 20 mM EMS, gamma rays 40 kR + 20 mM EMS and gamma rays 50 kR + 20 mM EMS). The observations revealed that plant lethality, pollen sterility and ovule sterility percentage increased with the increasing doses of gamma rays, EMS and their combinations. The gamma rays 10kR (0.072) was observed to be most effective, followed by EMS and combination treatments. The mutagenic efficiency calculated in M2 Population on the basis of lethality, sterility and injury with respect to induced morphological mutations revealed variations depending upon the criteria selected for its estimation. As the efficiency was analysed based on lethality per cent, the highest mutagenic efficiency was observed for 10 kR + 20 mM (0.192). When the efficiency was assessed with reference to pollen sterility percentage, the maximum mutagenic efficiency was observed for 30kR (0.118). The higher doses of both mutagen lead to lethal injury and sterility.