PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY OF FALSE SESAME (CERATOTHECA SESAMOIDES ENDL.) TREATED WITH SODIUM AZIDE

Abstract

The mutagenic efficiency and effectiveness of sodium azide to induce genetic variability in false sesame (Ceratotheca sesamoides) was evaluated with the aim of obtaining beneficial mutants. The seeds of false sesame were subjected to four concentrations (0.5mM, 1.0mM, 1.5mM and 2.0mM) of sodium azide. Treated and untreated seeds were sown on the field. Harvested M1 false sesame seeds were sown to raise the M2 seedlings. The sodium azide concentration of 1.0mM significantly (p<0.05) induced benefitial variabilities on the agronomic traitsevaluated at M1 and M2 generation of false sesame. The mutagenic effectiveness, efficiency and mutation frequency of sodium azide were not obtained due to the absence of chlorophyll-deficient mutants. Lethality due to mutagen was observed not to be dose dependent. Broad sense heritability estimates for the agronomic traits evaluated ranged from 2.14% to 92.01%. High heritability values recorded for and days to flowering (92.10%), thousand seed weight (75.00%), height at maturity (63.84%) and leaf area (60.35%) broadens the scope for improving false sesame via selection. Results are further discussed to validate the potential of this mutagenic treatment on false sesame breeding and selection