Effects of Mutagens on Morphological traits of Psoralea corylifolia-A Medicinally
Important Plant
Mutation breeding like in other plants can significantly strengthen medicinal plants breeding programs and help to produce novel varieties with higher yield potential and improved yield quality. The dry and healthy seeds of P. corylifolia IC 111228 were subjected to mutagenic treatments namely ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) and sodium azide (SA). The treatment concentrations 15mM, 30mM, 45mM and 60mM of EMS and 1mM, 2mM, 3mM and 4mM of SA were chosen to evaluate the mutagenic potential in either case. The morphological traits were evaluated in M1 generation viz. plant height, days to flowering initiation, seed yield/plant and 100-seed weight. In EMS treatment 15 mM increased the plant height and seed yield, while in SA treatment 4 mM increased the seed yield/plant and 100-seed yield.