Abstract

An investigation was carried out to study the nature and amount of gamma ray induced genetic variability in littlemillet during kharif, 2006 and rabi, 2006-2007. Two released varieties CO3 and CO(Samai) 4 were treated with gamma rays. The maximum variability was observed for plant height and total number of tillers in M2 generation of both CO3 and CO(Samai)4. A high heritability associated with a high genetic advance as percentage of mean was observed for total number of tillers and grain yield in M2 generation. With reference to lodging character CO (Samai)4 mutants showed high heritability with genetic advance in the progenies of 500 and 600 Gray of M2 generation. Mutants in 500 and 600 Gray also exhibited maximum variability, heritability and genetic advance for plant height, total number of tillers, number of nodes, inter-nodal length, culm thickness and grain yield. Therefore, selection in these progenies would be rewarding to have lodging resistance with reduced plant height and inter-nodal length and increased number of nodes, culm thickness and grain yield. These desirable mutants would be forwarded to further generation until they obtain homozygosity.

Keywords: Littlemillet, Gamma irradiation, lodging resistance, variability