Effect of different doses of gamma rays on M₂ generation of turmeric

The study entitled “Effect of Different Doses of Gamma Rays on M₂ Generation of Turmeric” was conducted during Kharif 2024–25 at the Instructional Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. PDKV, Akola, using the turmeric variety PDKV Waigaon. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with five treatments (0, 10, 15, 20, and 25 Gy) of gamma irradiation and four replications. Observations were recorded on growth, disease incidence and yield attributes. Results revealed that increasing gamma ray doses exerted a suppressive effect on vegetative growth, as evidenced by reduced plant height, number of leaves and leaf area. However, moderate doses (15–20 Gy) improved yield-contributing traits such as number, length and diameter of finger rhizomes, as well as yield per plant, per plot and per hectare. The highest rhizome yield (26.32 t ha⁻¹) was recorded at 20 Gy, compared to 21.81 t ha⁻¹ in the control. Further, gamma irradiation reduced the incidence of foliar diseases, with leaf spot minimized at 15 Gy (7.25%) and leaf blotch at 20 Gy (4.16%). These findings indicate that while higher doses (25 Gy) were detrimental to growth and yield, moderate doses, particularly 20 Gy, were effective in enhancing yield potential and disease tolerance in turmeric. Mutation breeding through gamma irradiation thus holds promise for inducing genetic variability and identifying superior mutants in clonally propagated crops like turmeric.