Mutagenic Effectiveness and Efficiency of Gamma Rays in Musk Okra (Abelmoschus moschatus L.)

Musk mallow (Abelmoschus moschatus L.) is a medicinal and aromatic herb also known as musk ambrette, and cultivated for its seeds, which have a characteristic musk-like odour. The seeds are the source of ambrette, an aromatic oil used in perfumery. The seeds are valued medicinally for their diuretic, demulcent and stomachic properties. Gamma radiation (GR) is the most widely used physical mutagen in crop improvement. Seeds of musk okra (Abelmoschus moschatus) were exposed to different gamma rays doses, viz. 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 Gy using 60Co as gamma source; untreated seeds were used as control. Plant morphological variations were recorded in field conditions, i.e. plant height, number of branches, stem girth, stem colour, leaf and petiole length, width and colour and yield parameters. Highest number of branches (15.61), stem girth (25.23 mm) and plant height (105.58 cm) were recorded with seeds irradiated at 100 Gy. Seeds on exposure to gamma irradiation at 300 Gy produced plants with dark red stem and green leaf with purple coloured petiole Reduction in leaf petiole size (0.367 cm) was evidenced in plants evolved from seeds treated with 100 Gy. Irradiation had significant effect on flowering when treated with 100 Gy, which recorded minimum number of days (61.67 days) for 50% flowering, while the maximum number of days (70 days) was recorded in seeds irradiated with 600 Gy. Flowers with seven and six petals were observed in 100 Gy, while the remaining treatments (0, 300, 400, 500, 600 Gy) recorded six and five petals. Maximum pod yield (480.12) and seed yield (499.06) were recorded in 100 Gy treatment.