Mutational Breeding in Groundnut

The groundnut is one of the most important oilseed crops, commercially popular due to its superior edible oil quality, protein in the meal and confectionery purposes. Induced mutagenesis could be used to generate additional variability both in qualitative and quantitative traits in groundnut as in the other crops and could profitably be used either by releasing the isolated desired mutants directly or by using these mutants in plant breeding programme. Induced mutation may be an alternative, complementary or unique technique in creating genetic variability as in cross breeding. The range of variability released through mutation technique depends on the genotype or kind and dose of mutagen employed