Estimation of Heritability, Genetic Advance and Correlation for Quantitative Traits in M3-Generation Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) under Induced EMS Mutagenesis
Abstract
An experiment was carried outwith two varieties of chickpea-IC265291 (V1) and IC265298 (V2) which were obtained from NBPGR, New Delhi to study the Heritability, correlation and Genetic advance as percent of the mean for 11 quantitative characters. Healthy & Uniform seeds of two varieties of chickpea were treated with different concentrations of chemical mutagen EMS (Ethyl Methyl Sulfonate) viz:0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5% and 0.6%.The seeds were grown in petri plates and seed survival rate and seedling characters were studied. The EMS-treated seeds along with the control (untreated) seeds were sown in the field at CPMB (Centre for Plant Molecular Biology), Osmania University, Hyderabad. The result of the study, revealed that all the characters understudy were shown significant phenotypic and genotypic correlations with seed weight except days to flower initiation, days to 50% flowering and days to pod maturity. In Chickpea, Phenotypic Coefficient of Variation (PCV) for all the traits is found to be higher than Genotypic Coefficient of Variation (GCV).For the traits Number of branches per plant, Number of pods per plant, Pod weight per plant, Number of seeds per plant and 100 seed weight-Heritability(h2) and Genetic Advance(GA) are found to be higher. These are the most important traits that can be utilised for the improvement of seed yield in chickpea.
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Introduction
The chickpea, known scientifically as Cicer arietinum, is an annual legume in the Fabaceae family cultivated for its edible seeds. This plant features a branched stem that can be straight or slightly bent, adorned with small feathery leaves that grow alternately along the stem. Chickpea are an abundant and affordable source of protein, which can aid individuals in enhancing the nutritional value of their diets, thereby playing an important role in food security in developing nations.(Kumar et al., 1900).It offers significant benefits for individuals with diabetes and provides a rich supply of essential nutrients including vitamins A, C, E, K, B1–B3, B5, B6, B9, as well as minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium, all of which contribute positively to human health.(Koul et al., 2022).Chickpeas are a significant legume cultivated across approximately 18 million hectares globally, serving as an essential dietary source for many people in semiarid tropical regions and contributing greatly to the sustainable productivity of farming systems (Vadez et al., 2021). Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.) are a significant pulse crop cultivated and eaten globally, particularly in countries across Africa and Asia. They provide a substantial amount of carbohydrates and protein, with the quality of protein being regarded as superior to that of other pulses (Jukanti et al., 2012). Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), which includes both desi and kabuli types, is a cherished pulse crop around the world. Its cultivation takes place in more than fifty countries, ranging from the Indian subcontinent and southern Europe to the Middle East, North Africa, the Americas, Australia, and China. Comprising 80% of its dry seed mass, chickpea is rich in carbohydrates and protein, and it is recognized for its various health advantages, earning it the designation of a ‘functional food’ (Zhang et al., 2024). Mutation breeding serves as a valuable method for generating genetic diversity in chickpea cultivation, given its self-pollinating characteristics and limited genetic diversity (Dinkar et al., 2020). Ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis serves as an effective method for creating genetic resources that help uncover underexplored genes and analyse gene functions to gain insights into the molecular foundation of significant agronomic traits (Chen et al., 2022). Both physical and chemical agents can be utilized to generate mutations in advanced plant species. Among the physical agents, gamma rays are favored in higher plants because of their ability to penetrate deeply, while among the chemical agents, ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) is chosen for its capability to cause a high frequency of mutations that are irreversible (Journal et al., 2019). Chemical mutagenesis offers a cost-effective, straightforward, and convenient method for generating allelic variation in the genomes of plants and animals. Various chemical mutagens induce distinct forms of DNA damage, including alkylating agents and azides (Subramaniam & Kumar, 2023). The genetic improvement of any crop largely relies on the genetic diversity available within the population, while germplasm acts as an important reservoir of base population and offers a source of extensive variability (Shedge et al., 2019). Any breeding program'sability to succeed is largely dependent on the population'sgenetic diversity (Ene et al., 2016). Heritability examines the connection between genotypic variance and the underlying true genotypic values of observed and phenotypic variance (Turk, n.d.). The level of gain achieved in a character under a specific selection pressure is explained by genetic advancement. High estimates of heritability combined with high genetic advancement provide the ideal environment for selection. Additionally, it shows that the trait contains additive genes, which further suggests that selecting for such qualities will result in dependable crop development (Mofokeng et al., 2019). The term "heritability" refers to the degree to which genetic variation accounts for a trait'svariation. (Estimating Trait Heritability Learn Science at Scitable, n.d.). Genetic advance and heritability aid in assessing how the environment affects character expression and how much improvement is feasible following selection (Sriraj & Gurjar, 2022).
Conclusion
All the traits except Days to initiation of flowering, Days to 50% flowering and Days to pod maturity were shown significant phenotypic and genotypic correlations with seed weight. Phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) is higher than the genotypic coefficients of variation (GCV) for all the traits understudy in chickpea mutant. Heritability and Genetic Advance (GA) was found higher for majority of the characters. It can be concluded that number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, pod weight, seed weight and 100 seed weights are most important traits in chickpea which can be used for the improvement of seed yield.
