Field Evaluation of High Yielding Genotypes of Lentil (Lens Culinaris Medik.) Developed through Induced Mutagenesis

Abstract

Induced mutations play paramount role in manipulating the genetic structure of the plants as an indispensable tool for crop improvement. This field study was initiated to evaluate three potential mutant lines of lentil against their parent (M-85) and two check varieties (NIA-Masoor-05 and NIA-Masoor-16). The pooled data of the crop, after two years of evaluation, indicated the earliest maturity in the mutant AEL-40/30 (92.0 days). Plant height was observed to be low in all the studied mutant lines (AEL-40/30, AEL-13/30 and AEL-12/30) against the parent and the control varieties. Important yield contributing traits like number of branches plant-1, seeds pod-1 and 1000 seed weight were also seen to be highest in the mutant AEL-40/30 (3.95, 1.91 and 29.11 (g), respectively). Moreover, the same genotype showed an extraordinarily high yield of 1765.1 kg ha-1. The other two mutant lines viz. AEL-13/30 and AEL-12/30 produced seed yield of 1628.4 and 1561.9 kg ha-1, respectively. Yield of the check varieties as well as the parent was substantially lower than the evaluated mutants; lowest seed yield was produced by M-85 (1113.5 kg ha-1). Hence, selected mutants indicated improvement in earliness in flowering, maturity, yield and yield contributing traits. Correlation analysis of the agronomic parameters implied that number of branches plant-1, seeds pod-1 and 1000 seed weight had highly significant correlation with the seed yield of the lentil. It was concluded that the mutants AEL-40/30 and AEL-12/30 have very high yield potential, and these genotypes can be further evaluated for zonal performance in the Sindh province