| Wheat mutants with acceptable grain colour have been previously reported
from the mutation programme at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute
(VERGHESE & SWAMINATHAN 1966, SAWHNEY et al. 1971, 1977). The present
communication establishes that other grain characteristics like uniform
grain development are equally amenable to the induced mutation technique.
Our results also suggest that yield loss is not an inescapable consequence
of improvement achieved through mutagenesis. That is particularly so in
situations where intensive breeding efforts have elevated the yield levels
of varieties to a plateau. We are grateful to Dr. H.K. JAIN, Director, IARI, for his interest and advice and Shri M.D. NANDKEOLYAR, Shri Braham SINGH and staff of the extension unit in the Division of Genetics for their help in organizing trials in Delhi villages. Literature Cited SAWHNEY, R.N., H.K. JAIN, B.C. JOSHI, & D. SHINGH 1971. Induction of mutation at loci determining quantitative and qualitative trials in wheat. Proc. Symp. 'Use of Isotopes and Radiation in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Research', New Delhi, Dec. 1971, pp. 214-222. SAWHNEY, R.N., V.L. CHOPRA, Rajender KUMAR & H.R. MOHINDRO. 1977. Radiation induced amber grained mutants in variety Tonari 71 of wheat. Curr. Sci. 46 : 317-318. VERGESE, G. & H.S. SWAMINATHAN. 1966. Changes in protein quantity and quality associated with a mutation for amber grain colour. Curr. Sci., 35 : 469-470. |
| <-- Back |