Culture selected somaclonal variants showing low-ODAP and high protein content in nineteen grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) genotypes

To develop low-ODAP grass pea genotypes with high protein content, in vitro tissue culture techniques were used for inducing somaclonal variation through internode explants that was cultured on B5 medium containing 2 mg L−l α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 1 mg L− l 6-benzylaminopurine of 19 grass pea genotypes. The selected somaclones ( R3 and R4 generations) were evaluated for variation in ODAP, protein, and quantitative agronomic traits. The results showed statistically significant (P < 0.001) genotypic differences for ODAP %, Protein %, 100-seed weight (HSW) and pod width (PODW) in the R4
somaclones under field conditions. The somaclones showed broad-sense heritability estimate of 0.14 ± 0.064 for ODAP%, 0.87 ± 0.015 for protein, 0.78 ± 0.025 for HSW and 0.13 ± 0.062 for PODW. Among the 270 somaclones, Sel462-5 was significantly superior to the parent and other somaclones in terms of ODAP content (0.13%), protein content (28.47%) and pod width (1.43 cm). The correlation coefficients between parents and somaclones for pod width with 100-seed weight, ODAP-clones and protein-clones were positive and significant. The superiority of somaclones for ODAP, protein, 100-seed
weight and pod width in R4 generation opened the possibility for grass pea improvement through somaclonal variation.