Assessment of induced genetic variability for yield traits and powdery mildew resistance in oat

Abstract

To induce genetic variability in oat for powdery mildew resistance and yield traits, two cultivars of oat viz., HJ-8and Kent were treated with gamma rays (200 Gy, 300 Gy and 400 Gy), EMS (0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9% v/v) and their respective combinations. Powdery mildew disease reaction, germination (%) and survivability (%) wererecorded for M generation during 2018. M generation was screened for 1 2 Rabi in augmented block designvarious yield traits, chlorophyll mutants and powdery mildew resistance in Rabi 2019. LD values of EMS- 50treated HJ-8 and Kent cultivars were 1.40% and 0.84%, respectively using Probit analysis, which indicated that LD value varied from genotype to genotype. The highest number of 50 powdery mildew-resistant putativemutants for both cultivars was observed for combined treatments in M generation. Five 1 chlorophyll mutantswere observed in M generation The highest mutagenic effectiveness for 0.9% EMS, 2 . HJ-8 was observed forwhile in case of Kent, it was 0.3%. Analysis of variance revealed sufficient variation was generated in thetreatments for all the traits. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance recorded for days to floweringinitiation, biological yield per plant, grain yield per plant, harvest index and 100-grain weight indicated additivegene action with negligible environmental effects. Grain yield per plant showed a significant positivecorrelation and direct effect with biological yield per plant and 100-grain weight. Maximum M mutants were 2unique as they fall in different quadrants of PCA-biplot. Thirty-three putative mutants resistant to powdery mildewwere obtained in M generation. These putative mutants could be used in oat improvement programme.