GENETIC DIVERGENCE AND VARIABILITY STUDIES AMONG MICROMUTANTS IN BLACKGRAM [VIGNA MUNGO (L) HEPPER]

Forty five micro-mutant lines of blackgram variety Basant Bahar (PDU-1) were developed
by induced mutagenesis of gamma-rays, EMS, NG and MH singly and combination with gamma
rays. The genetic divergence was estimated by using two multivariate analyses and mutant cultures
were grouped into twelve genetic diverse clusters. Eighteen mutant cultures did not exhibit
much divergence from the parent as these grouped in parental cluster. But 27 cultures grouped
into different clusters not only showed diversity from the parent but also among themselves.
Moreover, grouping of cultures did not show any specific trend of clustering either in dose or in
type of mutagen. The average seed yield of seven clusters was higher than parental cluster. The
hybridization between divergent and high productive mutant lines, BE 1-1 and BGE 2-1 is expected
to produce promising and desirable transgressive segregants. The characters, 100 - seed weight,
days to flowering and pods/plant were major contributors to genetic divergence. The magnitude
of PCV, GCV, heritability and expected genetic advance exhibited high in different traits would
be effective in isolation of different mutant lines with improvement in these traits