cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. is an important grain legume grown in the dry agro-ecologies of the tropics with considerably low yield due to lack of improved varieties, aggravated by prevalent narrow genetic base. thus, induced mutagenesis was employed using sodium azide and gamma rays to increase genetic variability in cowpea genotypes that resulted in isolation of eleven high yielding mutant lines at the M 4 generation from the genetic background of cowpea varieties Gomati VU-89 and Pusa-578. In order to analyze the induced genetic divergence among the mutant lines and parent genotypes, biochemical and molecular characterization was carried out with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), simple sequence repeat (SSR) and cAAt box derived polymorphism (cBDp) markers. Activity of nitrate reductase (nR) and content of chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein and mineral were found to be significantly high in the selected mutant lines compared to their respective parent genotypes. SDS-PAGE profile of seed proteins generated 54 and 28 polymorphic bands and a total polymorphism of 62.06 and 41.17% in Gomati VU-89 and Pusa-578, respectively. SSR primers amplified a total of 16 and 24 polymorphic bands with an average polymorphism of 20.69 and 50.74% in Gomati VU-89 and Pusa-578, respectively. CBDP markers, used for the first time in mutagenized population, generated 175 bands with 77 bands being polymorphic in Gomati VU-89 and 121 bands with 59 bands being polymorphic in Pusa-578. Physiological, biochemical and molecular profiling of the selected promising mutants lines showed that Gomati VU-89-G and Pusa-578-C are genetically most diverged high yielding genotypes with significant increase in protein and micronutrient content, therefore, could be recommended for further research considerations. thus, the favorable combination of genes induced in the novel cowpea mutants selected through the present study are valuable to correspond farmers requirements for new improved cultivars (direct or hybrids).Pulses are the chief components of the agricultural system, effectively boosting food and nutrition, revenue and environment across the globe and hence assumed ideal for acquiring food security in the developing world including India. Even though India is the leading producer of pulses with 26% of the total world production harvested at about 35% of the total world area, yet a prominent yield gap of 18% exists and one of the leading importer nation 1 . Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a vital leguminous crop growing in the semi-arid tropics of Asia, Africa, Southern Europe, Southern United States, and Central and South America 2 . Cowpea leaves, green pods, and grains are excellent dietary source of protein, thus used as food and feed for healthy growth of both humans and livestock 3 . Cowpea is reportedly considered to be first originated and domesticated in Southern Africa, and later spread to east and West Africa and Asia 4 . Worldwide about 6.5 million metric tons of cowpea are produc...
