**2.4 Mutmap technique in legumes**

MutMap is a recently developed method based on whole-genome resequencing of pooled DNA from a segregating population of plants with a useful phenotype. The MutMap scheme to identify rice genes responsible for agronomically significant traits in a rice mutant pool that had been mutagenized by ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS). A recessive mutant from a mutant pool is backcrossed to a wild plant type in MutMap technique. The F1 plant is self-fertilized and the F2 progeny (>100) are screened for plants (>20) with a segregated mutant phenotype. In this method, only a small F2 population (>100 plants) is required for gene identification from crop plants so this is easy to maintain small population in the field. MutMap is particularly useful for identifying genes that control quantitative minor effect phenotypes, which is a challenging thing in crop improvement. This method is being used in the field of legumes to find candidate genes for leaf and plant type mutants in chickpea.
