Cytomorphological Variations in Vicia faba L.

The present study was carried out using hydraizine hydrate (HZ) and maleic hydrazide (MH) on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) The main objectives of this study were to explore the possibility of inducing variability for quantitative traits in the two varieties viz., NDF-1 and HB-405 of faba bean. Various other aspects of this study were; (i) to study biological damage in M1 generation,(ii) to determine the frequency of morphological variation and (iii) to study the chromosomal aberrations.M1 generation was studied for such parameters such as percentage of seed germination, seedling height, pollen fertility and plant survival at maturity. A depression in seed germination, seedling height and pollen fertility was noted with increasing concentrations of mutagens. Such parameters were drastically affected in the MH treatments than the HZ treatments. Chromosomes abnormalities, recorded in the present study, involved univalents, multivalents, stickiness, straybivalents, misorientation, bridges, laggards, nonsynchronization, unequal separation, micronuclei disturbed polarity, and cytomixis.