Comparative analysis of cytological abnormalities induced in Vicia faba L. genotypes using physical and chemical mutagenesis

Chromosomal aberration assessment is an important index in mutation breeding for determining the mutagen potency, which helps to deduce an optimum level of mutagen dose tolerable by the species. The current experiment was carried out to study the comparative account of different concentrations of EMS (0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03% and 0.04%), gamma rays (100Gy, 200Gy, 300Gy and 400Gy) and their combinations (100 Gy + 0.01% EMS, 200 Gy + 0.02% EMS, 300 Gy + 0.03% EMS and 400 Gy + 0.04% EMS) on induced chromosomal aberrations in two varieties of Vicia faba L. viz; PRT-12 and vikrant. The control plants showed normal meiosis while the treated plants showed considerable meiotic anomaly. Percent frequency assessment showed dose dependent increase in aberrations. The different abnormalities observed were laggards, bridges, stickiness, micronuclei, disturbed polarity, cytomixis etc. Seeds treated with combination treatments showed more cytological aberrations then individual treatments of both gamma and EMS doses. The order of the most signifi cant dose from each treatment conditions (physical, chemical and combination) were 300 Gy + 0.03% EMS > 400 Gy > 0.04% EMS for var. vikrant and 400 Gy + 0.04% EMS > 0.04% EMS > 400 Gy for var. PRT-12. The comparative analysis showed higher sensitivity of variety vikrant towards the doses of mutagen used than variety PRT-12 at same dose.