On-Station Multilocational Evaluation of Mutant Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Lines for Improved Growth and Yield

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Production of groundnut in Ghana is generally low when compared to yields obtained in developed countries. The low yields can be attributed to disease and pest infestation, unstable environmental conditions and inherently low yielding varieties cultivated by farmers. Induced mutation by gamma irradiation is one of the several ways of creating genetic variation in crops. Seeds of groundnut variety ‘Chinese’ had been irradiated with gamma rays in earlier studies. In the present study, the desirable M₃ mutants lines: 150 Gy, 200 Gy, 250 Gy and 300 Gy selected from later generations after irradiation were evaluated during the 2018 cropping season for improved agronomic traits in Techiman, Nyankpala and Bawku in the Transition, Guinea savannah and Sudan Savannah agroecological zones of Ghana, respectively, using variety Chinese (0 Gy) as standard check. The genotypes were replicated three times in RCBD. Results obtained from the study showed that desirable agronomic traits were found with mutants from 150 and 200 and 250 Gy. Field performance of these plants was above the parental line and standard check. The decreasing trend in field performance of mutants in the locations was Nyankpala > Bawku > Techiman. The study will be repeated and if the trends in results are the same, plants with improved growth characteristics and total grain yield higher than the parental population and standard check especially those from the 200 Gy mutant line would be recommended for varietal release.