Induced Mutagenesis and Morphological Screening in M2 Generation of Chickpea, Cicer arietinum Varieties Vishal and JAKI-9218

The present study investigates the frequency and spectrum of morphological mutations induced by gamma rays, sodium azide (SA), and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) in the M2 generation of two chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties, Vishal and JAKI-9218. Seeds of both varieties were treated with each mutagen, and the resulting M2 populations were systematically screened for macromutations. A diverse array of morphological mutants was identified, including tall, dwarf, bushy, prostrate, one-sided branching, narrow-leaved, broad-leaved, open-flowered, early maturing, and chlorophyll-deficient types. The mutation frequency and spectrum varied notably between the two varieties and among the different mutagen treatments, indicating both genotype-dependent mutagenic response and trait-specific mutagenic efficiency. These findings highlight the effectiveness of gamma rays, SA, and EMS in inducing useful genetic variability in chickpea and demonstrate their potential application in crop improvement programs.