COMPARISON OF HYBRIDIZATION AND INDUCED MUTATION AS SOURCES OF CREATING GENETIC VARIABILITY FOR VARIOUS TRAITS IN LENTIL (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Three distinct sets comprising of 8 variable populations developed through different sources of creating genetic variability, viz; hybridization, induced mutation and mutation of hybrids were evaluated in nested design. The results showed the phenotypic superiority of individual plants over parents and standard varieties for studied traits. Sufficient amount of variability was present for days to mature, plant height, pods per plant and 100-seed weight in F3M2 (AB(HM)) and can be used for the genetic improvement of these traits. However, greatest variability within F-3 (AB(H)) population in Set-3 may be due to both environmental and genetic factors. Mutated populations in all sets had more variability among plants as compared to recombinant and recombinant mutant generations. However, F3M2 (AB(HM)) population had maximum economic worth in Set-3. The estimates of genotypic variance and heritability for the traits under study in all segregating populations of all sets were found to be significant which indicated the presence of heritable genetic variability for all these traits. The recombinant populations, viz; F-3 (AB(H)) and F3M2 (AB(HM)) included large number of genetic variants. The selection of such genetic variants exhibiting desirable features may be helpful for breeders to identify best performing true breeding lines in succeeding generations.