EVALUATION OF GAMMA IRRADIATED MUTANTS OF SESAME ( Sesamum indicum L.) FOR YIELD AND YIELD PARAMETERS

Abstract

Mutation breeding is applied in many crop improvement programs as it can rapidly create the variability of inherited traits in crops. This study was designed to evaluate the yield potential of some mutant (M4) lines of sesame. Eleven M4 mutant lines alongside three checks were raised to maturity in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in Minna and trial fields of National Cereals research institute, Badeggi. The results revealed M5 mutant lines showed significant changes in some of the parameters measured. Site1 (Minna) showed improved yield traits than Site2 (Badeggi). ML11A11 exhibited the lowest days to 50% flower (47.00; 41.33). ML1A9 site1 showed the highest 1000 seed weight (3.02g), ML3A7 in site1 (2.41 g). The capsule per leaf axil in C1A12 Site2 obtained the highest (2.67). ML4A6 Site1 showed highest number of capsule (123.67). The highest yield per hectare was recorded mutant ML8A2 Site1 (779.63 kg/hectare); ML6A4 Site1 (681.86 kg/hectare); (672.59 kg/hectare). The results especially for yield, revealed the possibility of new varieties of sesame from the mutant lines, thus presenting gamma irradiation as a very effective mutagen for improvement of the crop.