MUTAGENIC EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF GAMMA RAYS, ETHYL METHANESULPHONATE (EMS), NITROSOGUANIDINE (NG) AND THEIR SYNERGISTIC EFFECT FOR DIFFERENT POLYGENIC TRAITS IN BLACK GRAM (VIGNA MUNGO (L.) HEPPER) THROUGH INDUCED MUTAGENESIS.

The effects of mutagens in M1 were carried out with two varieties of blackgram. Keonjhar Local (a promising local landrace of Odisha) designated as V1 and OBG-31(a released variety) as V2 were subjected to different degrees of mutagenic treatments to study the behaviour and effects of mutagens on M1 population of blackgram. Three doses each of gamma rays (G1-200, G2-400 and G3-600Gy) were used as physical mutagens. Chemical mutagens like nitrosoguanidine (NG) (N1-0.005, N2-0.010 and N3-0.015%) and ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) (E1-0.2, E2-0.4 and E3-0.6%) used singly or in combinations. Six combination treatments were G2N1- 400Gy gamma rays + 0.005% NG, G2N2- 400Gy gamma rays + 0.010% NG, G2N3- 400Gy gamma rays + 0.015% NG, G2E1- 400Gy gamma rays + 0.2% EMS, G2E2- 400Gy gamma rays + 0.4% EMS, G2E3- 400Gy gamma rays + 0.6% EMS and C- untreated check was used. Among various dose/concentration treatments, G1 (200 Gy), G3 (600 Gy), N1 (0.005 NG), N2 (0.010 NG), E1 (0.2 % EMS), G2N1 (400 Gy gamma rays + 0.005% NG) of gamma rays and combination treatments were more desirable, which resulted in low plant damage and higher genetic effects.G2E3 (400 Gy gamma rays + 0.6% EMS) did not germinate at all, neither in the laboratory nor in the field condition for both of the parents.