Nitrous Acid-Induced Variations in Some Quantitative Traits of the Foxtail Millet Setaria Italica (L.) P. Beauv.

Abstract

The effects of nitrous acid on the agronomic parameters of foxtail millet were investigated. Seeds with nitrous acid treatments and untreated seeds (control) were planted in a Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) for two generations. The following data collected: percent germination, plant height, leaf number, length, and width, fresh and dry weights, number of days to 50% flowering, panicle length, and weight, and 1000-seed weight. Significant variations were observed in plant height, leaf number and length, fresh and dry weights, panicle length and weight, and 1000-seed weight in the control. Plant height, leaf length, fresh weight and dry weight had highest mean values at 0.1% nitrous acid. Number of leaves and panicle length and weight were highest at 0.4% concentration, while 1000-seed weight was highest with 0.3% nitrous acid. From this experiment, nitrous acid proved to be effective in inducing mutations that increased quantitative traits of the foxtail millet. The mutations have great potentials which can be harnessed for use in a breeding program.

Frequency of mutation, lethality and efficiency of ethyl methane sulphonate and sodium azide on foxtail millet (Setaria italica [L.] P. Beauv.)

“…This cereal is mainly cultivated in arid parts in Asia, Europe, North America, Australia, and North Africa (Austin, 2006). This plant has relatively high tolerance to drought and extreme conditions of weather and external chemicals or nutrients (Majid et al, 2012;Esson et al, 2017).…”