EFFICIENT IN VITRO REGENERATION OF PIGEON PEA (CAJANUS CAJAN) USING DIFFERENT EXPLANTS

Abstract

ICPL87 pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) was developed by pedigree selection from the cross ICPX73052 (T21 X JA277), made in 1973.  In the present study, more than 50% of the variants showed gains of13.6 to 21.8% in their seed size. The largest seeds (13.3 g/100 seeds) were produced by ‘ICPL 99073’. This line also produced high seed yield (2226 kg/ha). Since small seed size is dominant over large seeds, the observed variation for large seeds could be the result of specific mutational events occurring from dominant to recessive form of alleles. The most common seed coat color in pigeon pea is brown, and it is dominant over white seed. Only one or two recessive genes are known to control the expression of white seed. In the present study, 8 (out of the 15 lines evaluated) recorded a change in seed colour from brown to white, emphasizing a change that was induced through point mutations from dominant to recessive form of alleles. It is evident that the dominant genes, governing brown coat colour are prone to such mutagenic forces. Also reported the presence of white seeded mutants in some of the R2 explants.