Abstract

                                Two varieties of sesame viz. SVPR 1 and CO 1 were treated with two mutagens viz. gamma rays and EMS. In M, generation, a wide range of polygenic variability in the form of micromutations was generated. M, generation shifted the overall mean values in the positive direction in lower doses upto 50 krad of gamma rays and 1.2% of EMS for the characters 1000 seed weight, oil content and single plant yield. Treated M, populations showed a much greater range of variability for all the characters than controls. Induced genetic variability was more in CO 1 than SVPR 1. The enhanced genetic variability observed for seed yield and its component characters in the M, generation of the present study indicated the scope for effective selection.

Key words : Sesame, Induced mutations, Polygenic variability, Genotypic co-efficient of variation.