ISOLATION AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF M1VARIANTS OF SOYBEAN

Abstract: Soybean is botanically described as Glycine max (L.) Merr. Soybean is widely cultivated as a major source of protein and oil. Variability in existing varieties of soybean can be induced through induced mutation breeding programme. This induced variability can be exploited for the crop improvement. In present study the seeds of soybean varietyPhule Kalyani (DS-228) were mutagenized with various doses of physical mutagen gamma rays and various concentrations of chemical mutagens Sodium azide and Ethyl methanesulphonate. The M1 generation was raised from mutagenized seeds. Entire M1 generation was studied for various biological parameters. Some morphological variants in comparison with control were isolated. Their morphological characterization was carried out. The seeds of all these variants were collected separately. The true breeding nature of these variants will be checked in M2 generation. It seems that these variants will certainly generate novel mutants with desired characteristics in M2 generation. Keywords: Soybean, morphological variants, M1 generation.