DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2014.v02i12.019

Pages: 948-952

Cereals constitute an important source of food in India. India depends mostly on cereals and pulses for food. Cereals contain high amounts of starch along with considerable amounts of proteins, lipids and minerals. The present experiment was conducted to induce the variability in Hordeum vulgare L. by methyl methanesulphonate and sodium azide. The seeds were sown to raise the M1 generation. Seed germination of mutagen treated seeds in M1 and cytology in PMC’s of M1 generation plants were observed. Seed germination decreased with increasing concentrations of MMS but it showed irregular trend in case of SA treated seeds. Seeds obtained from M1 generation plants were sown to raise the M2 generation. Lower concentrations of both mutagens produced less frequency of meiotic abnormalities than higher concentrations but MMS produced more frequency of meiotic abnormalities than SA. Different quantitative characters were studied in M2 generation. Quantitative characters of a plant are the most important characters associated with yield. Data on quantitative characters did not show regular trend but followed an irregular trend. But lower concentrations of MMS treated plants showed more positive response than SA treated plants.