Abstract
This study was aimed to compare the effect of physical and chemical mutagens, namely gamma rays and EMS on seed germination, survival of seedlings and pollen sterility of sesame genotype TMV3. The seeds of sesame variety TMV3 were subjected to different doses of gamma rays such as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100KR and various concentrations of EMS like 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0mM. Seed germination test was carried out in laboratory to find out the LD50 values of Gamma rays and EMS and they were 50KR for gamma rays and 1.0mM for EMS. Based on the LD50 values, the following doses and concentrations were chosen to treat the seeds and conduct the field experiments. For Gamma rays, they were 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70KR and for EMS they were 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4mM and for Combined treatments they were 30KR+0.6mM, 40KR+0.8mM, 50KR+1.0mM, 60KR+1.2mM and 70KR+1.4mM. The effect of mutagens was measured for quantitative characters like seed germination, seedlings survival, seedlings height and pollen sterility and calculations were made. The results indicated that the seed germination, seedling survival and seedling height were decreased with increasing doses or concentrations of mutagens when compared to control. But in case of pollen sterility, it was increased with increasing concentrations of mutagens when compared to control. In combined treatments, plants showed high percentage of pollen sterility when compared to individual treatments and some plants showed complete sterile at 70KR + 1.4mM treatment.