An assay of CMS lines of Indian mustard Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. Coss. for flowering and seed yield characters

摘要

The production of rapeseed mustard has undergone phenomenal change since last two decades. The requirement for oils and fats will be much higher in view of ever increasing population in futre. The only practical option left is the vertical increase of yields. Hybrid technology has shown a promise in this regard. A number of diverse CMS systems were developed. Evaluation of available CMS sources for flowering and seed yield characters for development of seed production technology of the hybrids and for the breeders to exploit the heterosis would be essential. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the seven cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines of Brassica juncea in Pusa Bold background along with the variety Pusa Bold for flowering and seed yield characters. The results revealed that that variety Pusa Bold was the earliest in flowering. Hence, problem of non-synchrony in flowering of CMS lines and Pusa Bold was not observed. Amongst the CMS lines Erucoides was the earliest in bud initiation and first flowering while Moricandia (chlorotic) was the last. This may be due to the differential interaction ofthe nucleer cytoplasm of these two lines in common nuclear background of Pusa Bold The CMS lines and Pusa Bold were at par in flowering duration except Moricandia (chlorotic). No significant difference in termination of flowering was observed among all the CMS lines except Moricandia (chlorotic). The similar was true for flowering duration. The results also indicated that secondary branches had higher pod length, beak length and number of seeds per pod as compared to those in primary and tertiary branches. Among the CMS lines while Ogura had the longest pods, Tournefortii had the shortest. There was significant differeence in number of branches among the CMS lines evaluated. Except Oxyrrhina all the lines had more number of branches than that of Pusa Bold.The seed yield per plant was the highest in Moricandia (green) followed by Ogura. It is thus suggested that the mustard hybrid based on Moricandia (green) and Ogura CMS backgrounds could be a productive proposition.