Physical and chemical mutagenesis of VM1 generation in tubers of glory lily (Gloriosa superba)

Induced mutagenesis was conducted in Gloriosa superba by using both chemical and physical mutagens to study various morphological characters in six genotypes viz.., Arupukotai, Chittor, Dharapuram, Mulanur, Nellore and Vedaranyam. The tubers were subjected with four doses of each chemical and physical mutagens were administered at various concentrations of 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 % ethylmethane sulphonate (EMS) and 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 gray Gamma rays respectively. Experiment was conducted at Variyankaval village, Udayarpalayam taluk of Ariyalur, district Tamil Nadu. Nine characters were recorded in the study among 48 mutants. Plant height was recorded highest in EMS 1% in Chittor (146.58) and 50% flowering was more in EMS 1% in Mulanur (114.64). EMS 1% in Mulanur produced more number of pods per plant (35.57) and seeds per pod (70.64). EMS 1% in Chittor recorded highest fresh seed yield (208.34) and dry seed yield (65.24). Length of tuber (21.64) and tuber weight (71.85) was high in EMS 1% in mulanur. Quantification of colchicine content in 48 mutants was done by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method. Colchicine content was high in Arupukotai (0.8567) followed by Chittor (0.6821) in EMS 1% and lowest at 4 gray in Vedaranyam (0.0501)