Genetic Variation for Seed Proteins in Cultivated and Wild Species of Pigeonpea

Electrophoretic analysis of seed protein of three cultivated varieties of Cajanus cajan and its three wild relatives were carried out to study variability in protein band expression. In all, 22 protein bands were identified ranging with molecular weight of 97.0 to 16.5 kD. Cultivated and wild species showed variability in protein band expression ranging from 6 in ICPL 84023 to 8 in UPAS 120 and Pant A 134 whereas in wild species 9 bands in C.cajanifolius and C.acutifolius and 8 bands in C.scarabaeoides. The differences were also observed for number, length and intensity of polypeptide bands of the protein. Band at 87.5 kD was common in all the cultivated and in wild species. In the cultivated lines, bands at 92.5 and 37.0 kD were common, whereas two bands at 87.5 and 74.0 kD were common among wild species.