A Study of Mutagenic Variability on Seed Protein Content in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Biochemical analysis of 11 different chickpea germplasm, viable mutants and about 200 micro mutants was carried out for knowing the soluble seed protein content. The data regarding soluble seed protein content revealed substantial variability in all the germplasm lines and also different viable and micro mutants of both the cultivars of chickpea. Among 11 germplasm lines, the highest values for soluble seed protein content were recorded in chaffa and BG-256. The viable mutants in both the cultivars showed the variability in soluble seed protein content. In BDN 9-3, the highest value was observed in large leaf mutant while in PG-5, the late maturing mutant indicated highest value for soluble seed content. Thus, from the above observation, it can be said that mutagenic treatments tried in the present study have very much succeeded including genetic variability with significance alterations in growth and metabolism of the plant body. The result obtained decisively demonstrated the effective potential of the induced mutational approach in the genetic improvement of chickpea and recovering superior mutant types to helps obtain better desirable traits.