Induced floral morphological variability in pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Bhagwa) through sodium azide

Sodium azide mutagenesis is a widely applied technique for creating genetic variability in crop plants, including perennial fruit species. However, its impact on pomegranate flower morphology remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of sodium azide (SA) on the floral traits of pomegranate (Punica granatum L., cv. ‘Bhagwa’). Seeds were exposed to sodium azide (1–10 mM) for 1–3 h, and the resulting M₁ plants were assessed across two Mrig Bahar seasons (2023–2024). Fully opened hermaphrodite flowers were used for measuring calyx length and width and petal length/width, and analyzed the data using factorial ANOVA. Moderate concentrations (5–7 mM), especially with 2 h exposure, generated the most consistent variations. The maximum values recorded were 40.62 mm (calyx length), 15.35 mm (calyx width), 24.77 mm (petal length), and 20.64 mm (petal width). Most floral traits showed significant treatment effects, whereas higher concentrations reduced the responses. Optimized sodium azide treatment can thus induce useful floral variability, providing valuable baseline information for future pomegranate mutation breeding programs.