Caffeine Induced Morpho-cytological Variability in Fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum L.

Abstract

Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Farm Leguminosae), commonly known as "Methi" is an important self-pollinated crop of short duration and multipurpose (vegetable, condiment, manure and medicinal), cash crop of India (Fazli and Hardman 1978). It is rich in fixed oil, proteins and vitamins.Mutagens have remarkable possibilities of improving plants with regard to their qualitative and quantitative characters. Chemical mutagens have been reported to be more potent in inducing mutations than the physical ones (Sharma 1965, Blixt andMossberg 1967). The mutagenic effect of caffeine has been studied in different plants by many workers (Kihlman and Levan 1949, Kihlman et al. 1973, Kihlman 1974, Fries 1950, Demon and Rauth 1969. However, no efforts have been made to study its effect on fenugreek. Keeping in view the economic improtance offoenum-graecum and the use of mutagens for the creation of genetic variability and improvement of crops, the present work has been taken to study the cytogenetic effects and responses of agronomic characters following caffeine application. Material and methodsThe seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. var. Desi Methi were procured from the Govt. Agricultural Farm, Aligarh. The plants are characterised by white flowers with straight pods. The seeds are small, yellowish brown in colour with bitter taste. Fresh and healthy seeds were selected and presoaked in distilled water for 12 hr. The seeds were, then subjected to different concentrations of caffeine (0.05, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75 and 2.00%) for 12 hr. 100 seeds were selected for each of the 9 treatments and control. Each set of 100 seeds was divided into two lots of 50 seeds each. A total number of 50 seeds per concentration plus 50 seeds for control were sown in the pots to raise M1 generation. The second lot of 50 seeds per concentration and control was placed on moist cotton for the study of germination and survival percentage. At flowering stage 12-15 random plants were selected from each concentration for meiotic analyses. Young buds of proper size were collected carefully from each concentration and fixed in 1: 3 solution of acetic acid and ethyl alcohol, supplemented with a few crystals of ferric chloride for 24 hr. The buds were then stored in 70% ethyl alcohol under refrigeration. Slides were prepared using 2% acetocarmine by standard squash technique. Analyses of various stages of meiosis were best done from fresh and temporary preparations, chiefly at metaphase and anaphase stages. Results and discussionThe plants raised from the treated seeds exhibited a number of morphological and cytological abnormalities. A gradual reduction in the percentage of germination with an increased concentration of caffeine was recorded. The seedling growth as recorded after 15 days of germination showed an increase in seedling height at lower concentration of mutagen. However, it decreased at higher concentration. The variation in the height of the plants, number of nodes, internodal length, no. of

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“…No doubt that the formation of univalents affect normal pairing and consequently decrease chiasma frequency . This is probably caused by cryptic structural changes in the chromosomes forming genetic differences restrict pairing with other homologous ones as previously suggested by Anis and Wani (1997) .…”

Evaluation of the Allelopathic Effect of Aqueous Extract of <i>Zygophyllum simplex</i> L. on <i>Vicia faba</i> L. Plants

“…This finding was previously reported by Haroun and Al Shehri (2001), Anis and Wani (1997), Lamix and Gupta (1983), and Abdelrhman (1997), where some plant extracts have the possibility to induce quantitative and qualitative characters at low concentrations. Khursheed et al (2009) also stated that lower concentrations of caffeine treatment act as growth regulator and hence increase germination and height over the control.…”

Meiotic Anomalies in Sodium Azide Induced Tetraploid and Mixoploid of Trigonella foenum-graecum

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