QUANTITATIVE VARIABILITY IN MUNGBEAN INDUCED BY CHEMICAL MUTAGENS
The mutagenic effect of ethylmethane sulphonate (EMS) and sodium azide (SA) on three quantitative characters viz. plant height, days to flowering and days to maturity in mungbean {Vigna radiata (L. Wilczek} have been observed. Mean values shifted in negative directions for all the characters whereas genetic parameters differed in different mutagenic treatments. Plant height showed a greater reduction in the population treated with SA in comparison to EMS treatments whereas the mean days to flowering and maturity reduced significantly in EMS treatments than the population treated with SA. Enhancement in range of genetic variability for quantitative characters in M2 and M3 generations of the treated populations is indicative of the wider scope of selection.