Genetic Diversity Of M2 Mutants Of Sunflower (Helianthus Annus L.) Induced By Ethyl- Methanesulphonate (Ems)

📄 Project Abstract

Sunflower is an important oilseed crop due to its health related values. Induced mutations are often used to create new genetic variability where sufficient variation does not exist naturally as in the case of sunflower. This study was carried out at the laboratory and research farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru, Zaria to assess the response of the sunflower seeds to different EMS doses and determine optimal doses for successful mutation; estimate genetic variability for agronomic traits among the M2 mutant lines and identify some desirable mutants for oil content and other agronomic traits; assess the degree of association among oil content, grain yield and other agronomic traits and assess the degree of similarity among the selected mutants. Two sunflower varieties (SAMSUN2 and SAMSUN4) obtained from Institute of Agricultural Research were treated with EMS concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 1.0 and 1.5% for 2, 4, 6 and 8 hrs with controls to ascertain optimum...