Comparative Crop Evaluation of Mutant Clones of Mulberry (Morus Spp) Genotype RFS135 and BC2-59 Mutagenised by EMS
Abstract
Mulberry belongs to family Moraceae, it is basically deciduous arboreal species widely distributed in tropical, sub-tropical, temperate and sub-arctic zones. 70% of leaf protein is bio-transformed into silk by Bombyx mori.L., Co-relation between quantity of leaf protein and cocoon yield is high. Breeding high yield genotypes sustains the profitability. Thus high yielding varieties is central dogma of sericulture. The two mulberry genotype RFS135 and BC2-59 were chemically mutagenised by Ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) and evaluated for yield parameters. EMS, as potent mutagen is monofunctional ethylating agent, extensively used in wide variety of genetic test systems. Active bud of RFS135 and BC2-59 in replicates were intermittently treated for twelve hours with 0.1%, 0.3% & 0.5% of EMS. M1V1 and M1V2 clones were evaluated for nutritive and morpho-metric characters. Significant variations were recorded in M1V2 clones of corresponding EMS treatments 0.1% (p=0.0001) and 0.3% (p=0.0006). M1V2 clones of BC2-59 treated with 0.3% EMS showed significant improvement in yield (p= 0.0007). M1V2 clones of RFS135 (0.1% and 0.3%) and BC2-59 (0.3%) treatments revealed high mean number of leaves per plant and increased leaf area Mutant clones of two genotypes, improved in yield with corresponding concentrations of EMS 0.1% (13.64Kg), 0.3% (11.59Kg) in RFS135 and 0.3% (11.85Kg) in BC2-59. Against the two controls (9.05Kg) and (6.80Kg) respectively. Probably dosage of EMS has an impact on the high yield, due to altered morphometric characters and increase in number of leaves.The mutagen probably caused enlargement in palisade and spongy layers tissue, to increase the leaf size.
