**2.25 Long pod**

The plants were normal in appearance with comparatively longer pods, containing seven to eight seeds per pod. (Plate- 4). Plant height, primary branches per plant, pods per plant, pod length, seeds per pod and seed yield per plant were significantly increased over control.

These mutants showed considerable increase in all quantitative traits, contributing to increase in yield. This type of mutants were reported earlier in mungbean (Auti and Apparao, 2009), urdbean (Sagade, 2008 and Gahlot *et al*., 2008), cowpea (Girija and Dhanavel, 2009) and horsegram (Bolbhat and Dhumal, 2010).

### **2.26 Broad pod**

These mutants had broad pods containing 6-7 bold seeds per pod (Plate- 4). Significant decrease was noted in days required for first flowering 60.40 DAS (control 61.70DAS) and maturity period 97.50DAS (control 102.20DAS). There was significant increase in 1000 seed weight 27.80g (control 26.80g).

Induction of Genetic Variability

**2.30 Trypsin inhibitor** 

vegetarian diet of Indians.

farmers of rainfed area.

as they will be free from all antinutritional factors.

University of Pune, Pune (MS), India.

stimulus. *Physiol. Plant*. 96: 637-645.

**3. Conclusion** 

**4. References** 

Italy, Rome.

with Gamma Radiation and Its Applications in Improvement of Horsegram 225

All the mutants showed decreased levels of trypsin inhibitor over control. Lowest values of TI were found in early mutant (98.75 TIU). The values of TI in different mutants in order as

The legume seeds like horsegram contain trypsin and chemotrypsin, which are the main anti-nutritional factors (Chavan and Hejgaard, 1981) as they decreases the digestibility of protein and cause pancreatic hypertrophy (Manjaya *et al*., 2007). The decrease in the levels of trypsin inhibitor as a result of the treatments of mutagens was reported by Harsulkar (1994). Kim *et al*., (2010) reported increase as well as decrease in trypsin inhibitor in mutants induced by gamma radiation. The mutants of horsegram with low TI have a great role in

In conclusion GR and GR+EMS had induced sufficient genetic variability in horsegram cv. Dapoli Kulthi-1. The agronomically and nutritionally superior mutants will be the promising material for plant breeders in feature. Such cultivars will surve the purpose of protein malnutrition in vegetarian diets and will also economically benefit the resource poor

The high yielding mutants will play a major role to break the yield constraints in horsegram, as a result of this the farmers can be attracted towards the cultivation of this low input, nitrogen fixer legume crop and there by it will help to improve the economic status of farmers from rainfed, drought prone areas of Maharashtra States. The early mutants will be of \ great help to reduce the crop duration and thereby help to avoid droughts in late stage of crop. The mutants with low TI, phytate and phenols will be of revolutionary importance,

The stabilization of desirable mutants, through multilocation trails is in progress on farmers' field at Karjat (Dist-Ahmednagar), Research farms of Dr. B.S.S.K.A.U., Dapoli (Dist-Ratnagiri) and at Department of Botany, University of Pune (MS). The efforts are also being

Auti, S.G. (2005). Mutational Studies in mung (*Vigna radiata* (L.) Wilczek). Ph.D. Thesis.

Auti, S.G. and Apparao, B.J. (2009). Induced mutagenesis in mungbean (*Vigna radiata* (L.)

Beveridge, C. and Murfet, I. (1996). The gigas mutant in pea is deficient in the floral

Wilczek). *In*: Induced Plant Mutations in the Genomics Era. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Shu, Q.Y. (Ed.). pp. 107-110.

made to release the most desirable mutants of horsegram, Dapoli Kulthi-1.

given below dwarf > tall >compact >late >long pod >high yielding.
