Evaluation and characterization of EMS derived mutant populations in mango

Abstract Mango is one of the most important fruit crops having long juvenile phase which is often resulting into poor land use efficiency and economic returns. In order to improve the production and productivity, there is an urgent need to develop less vigorous or dwarf cultivars for high-density planting (HDP). In mango, the regular bearing, precocity and dwarfness are controlled by recessive genes. It is pertinent to use mutagens to induce variability including the dwarfness in selected mango hybrid. Accordingly, the mutant populations of mango hybrid cv. Arka Puneet were generated from various doses of EMS in order to create variability. This study was carried out to characterize the putative mutant populations of mango cv. Arka Puneet based on morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters. Morphological changes such as reduced plant height, thicker stem, more branching, longer (leaf length, leaf width) shorter (internodal length, shoot length and petiole length) were observed in the dwarf mutant populations. Reduction in stomatal number with increased stomatal size as well as increase in the total phenol content in leaf were observed in 0.8 per cent EMS treated mutants, where more number of dwarf plants were observed. Biochemical traits like total chlorophyll content and hormones GA got reduced with high doses of mutagen and the increase in activity of enzyme like peroxidase and hormones ABA were also noticed.