Molecular characterization of γ-rays induced mutants in Jatropha curcas L.

Genetic variability in Jatropha curcas L. was induced by different doses (5-50 kR) of gamma-rays gamma radiation induced earliness in flowering, which generally took longer duration of 327 d in normal cases. The improved reproductive and yield parameters, such as, days taken to first flowering, flowering population, male to female ratio and seed yield per plant, were recorded in 25 kR dose and seed germination in 5 and 10 kR treated seeds. Molecular characterization of induced mutants (M-1 generation) with 47 RAPD primers showed 65.27 per cent polymorphism. The variability created by gamma-rays ranged from 9 to 28 per cent. The 50 kR mutant was found to be the most diverse from control, followed by 25 la mutant. Thus, the present results show that integrated approach can be used for carrying out the mutation-assisted breeding and subsequent selection of desired mutants using molecular markers in J. curcas.