Traditional Rice Landraces Research Articles

Enhancing Agro Morphological Traits of three Unique Traditional Rice Landraces of Chhattisgarh through Gamma Ray-Irradiation

Mutation breeding is a simple and effective technique for generating genetic variation within crops. Mutagens such as Gamma radiation induce changes in their DNA that could lead to the development of new traits, such as improved yield or disease resistance. In the present study, Gamma ray mutagenesis was performed on three traditional rice varieties (Gudma dhan, Dawar dhan, and Lohandi dhan) to identify potentially beneficial mutants with desirable agro-morphological agricultural characteristics. The major constraints to address were their tall statures and weak culms, fewer panicles and tillers, and late maturity. Using a fixed dose of 300 Gy, 35 mutants were identified in Dawar dhan, 33 in Gudma dhan, and 21 in Lohandi dhan. The selected mutants showed an average reduction in plant height that ranged from 42.69% to 33.11%, as compared to their respective landraces. Also, a substantial reduction (ranging from 3.08%-10.55%) in days to 50% flowering was observed. Importantly, these mutants showed an increase in yield of 38.11% (Dawar dhan), 32.63% (Gudma dhan), and 7.0% (Lohandi dhan). These findings demonstrate the utility of mutation breeding through Gamma radiation in alleviating the key constraints inherent to traditional rice landraces.

Scouting rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces for moisture stress tolerance using morphometric diversity analysis

Climate-change is a major threat to sustainable agriculture. Rice is one of the staple food grains that sustain 2/3rd of global population. Therefore, developing climate-resilient rice genotypes to combat moisture stress and other climate change factors are most important to address the challenges posed by climate change. The vast availability of genetic variance among the rice genotypes for different traits favours the selection of desirable donor parents. A field investigation was carried out to characterize 21 traditional rice landraces under induced moisture stress in 2 environments including induced moisture stress (S) and non-stress (NS). The response to the varied level of environments was observed in terms of biometric and yield parameters followed by multivariate analysis and variability analysis. The study revealed higher phenotypic-coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic-coefficient of variation (GCV) for plant height and single plant yield in both environments. High heritability was also recorded in the moisture stressed environment for plant height (98.63 %), single plant yield (98.19 %) and productive tillers (95.12 %), whereas under NS, the heritability is more for single plant yield only (99.56 %). The genotypes formed nine clusters under the S environment, based on the Euclidean distance, of which the three CMS lines segregated in cluster III distinctly. The principal component analysis exhibited three principal components with a cumulative variance of 86.13 % and 86.40 % in the NS and S environments respectively. The traits such as days to 50 % flowering, panicle height, panicle length, grains per panicle, productive tillers, thousand-grain weight and single plant yield were the positive contributors. Spikelet fertility (%) and harvest index were positively correlated with seed yield per plant. Path-coefficient analysis was significant for grain yield, harvest index, spikelet fertility, pollen fertility and plant height and positively influenced by productive tillers plant-1. The study concluded the prospect of using Mattaikar, Rajalakshmi, Mallikar and Kuliyadichan as potential donors for developing upland rice with moisture stress resilience.

Effect of pigmentation on physical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties of traditional rice landraces from Odisha region (India)

Effect of pigmentation on physical, phytochemical and antioxidant properties of traditional rice landraces from Odisha region (India)

Unravelling the biochemical traits of traditional rice landraces of Kerala

Biochemical characterisatics of 70 traditional landraces of rice (Oryza sativa L.) of Kerala including various micronutrients, rice bran oil and oryzanol content were analyzed. Traditional varieties have demonstrated their potential as valuable reservoirs of nutrients, indicating their suitability for incorporation into future breeding programmes aimed to develop nutritionally enriched rice varieties. Among the genotypes studied Oorkayama and Thekkan were identified with highest rice bran oil content and γ oryzanol content respectively. Fe, Zn, Na, K, carotene and anthocyanin content showed a wide range of variation among the genotypes. The GCV estimates were high for rice bran oil content and oryzanol content indicating higher magnitude of variability due to genotypes for these characters. The investigation suggests preponderance of additive gene effects for all the biochemical constituents under study as indicated by the high heritability coupled with high genetic advance.

Delineating Local Rice Landraces of Kashmir Valley for Cooking Quality and Physico-Chemical Traits

Crop plant improvement depends on genetic diversity. The regional collections contain a variety of genes, some of which are useful despite the shifting socioeconomic and environmental/climatic circumstances. Plant breeders can produce new and enhanced cultivars with desirable features by utilizing the diversity of available plant genetic resources. Twenty five traditional rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces from the NorthWest Himalayan region of Kashmir were assessed for cooking quality and physic-chemical characteristics. The majority of the cooking quality traits, such as kernel length before and after cooking, kernel breadth before and after cooking, amylose content gel, consistency, and alkali spreading value, showed a wide range of variability in the rice landraces under study. Extensive genetic variety across the landraces under investigation, which may be used for agricultural development programs, was suggested by the wide variation among the morphological and other cooking quality parameters.

Characterization of Traditional Rice Varieties for Leaf Blast Resistant Genes Pi5, Pi54, Pi9 and Pi2 using Gene Specific Markers

Magnaporthe oryzae poses a serious risk to rice growing regions worldwide. To combat this, future breeding efforts that aim to develop resistant varieties will need to identify and screen blast-resistant cultivars from existing germplasms. Thus, present study aimed to identify four major blast resistant genes (Pi54, Pi5, Pi2 and Pi9) in 20 traditional rice varieties using functional and linked markers. Results of the present study identified that fifteen traditional rice landraces were found to possess at least one resistant gene and three traditional landraces (Aanaikomban, Chenellu and Jai Sri Ram) had two resistant genes. These identified traditional rice landraces could be used as promising donor against rice blast disease for future rice breeding programmes to develop superior cultivars.

Conservation and molecular identification of traditional rice varieties collected from Kerala using matK and rbcL DNA barcode markers

Varietal identification of economically significant crops has acquired great importance in the global market especially in the terms of protection of plant varieties. Kerala is the home to several different specialty traditional rice varieties which is vital sources of nutritional and therapeutic properties. Traditional rice landraces are an integral part of the nutrition, medicine, and culture of Kerala. Most of these varieties possess similar morphological characteristics but differ in their nutritional and medicinal properties. It has become a challenge for a non-taxonomist to identify and recognize the traditional rice varieties accurately. DNA barcoding has been considered a standard method to identify species or variety which utilizes a unique pattern of variation in the DNA of the species. It can be adopted as a routine and faster approach to determine the molecular taxonomy when compared to morphological identification approaches. Currently, the most intensively applied two DNA barcode loci are maturase K (matK) and ribulose 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase (rbcL) for plant identification. But, the efficacy of these two loci in discriminating plant species may vary. Hence, in this study fifty-four traditional rice varieties collected from the Wayanad district of Kerala were used to generate and compare the two standard DNA barcode regions for plant matK and rbcL via PCR amplification. The varieties collected were varying in the husk color from black; red to brown and the brown rice varieties not display any morphological variation. The study identified that among the two selected markers rbcL was observed to have the potential to discriminate the intra and interspecific regions of the studied rice varieties and this would have been utilized to generate DNA barcodes for each variety. This study separates and identifies 28 traditional rice varieties among the 54 studied varieties as Oryza nivara, the wild progenitor of Asian cultivated rice. Along with other supporting information the data presented here could be used as a reference to check the authenticity and varietal purity of commercially significant rice varieties in the future.

Evaluation of different traditional rice landraces for its bioactive compounds

Evaluation of different traditional rice landraces for its bioactive compounds

Varietal Differences in the Physical and Engineering Attributes of Underutilized Pigmented and Non-pigmented Paddy and Rice Landraces

Traditional rice landraces cannot be processed using standard machinery or unit operations. Traditional rice, on the other hand, is becoming more popular as its purported health benefits spread. Cracked rice grains, broken rice, and subpar milled rice kernels result from using non-standard equipment on landraces. So, studying the physical characteristics of rice and paddy is crucial for modifying milling equipment to lessen post-harvest losses. To preserve and familiarize the underutilized landraces, a comparative study of three pigmented and three non-pigmented landraces were assessed for their physical, gravimetric, and engineering traits using standard analytical protocols. The analysis demonstrated substantial variation among the evaluated properties. The majority of the traditional landraces were classified as long-bold and long-slender grains. The landraces exhibited variations in the equivalent diameter ranging from 0.29 to 0.46 mm and 2.54 to 3.38 mm for rice and paddy samples respectively. The major differences in other attributes like sphericity, aspect ratio, and surface area were also observed. Gravimetric properties of paddy and rice samples of Madumuzhungi (MMP) showed significantly lower values in contrast to other landraces. The highest porosity (51.43%), moisture content (14.97%) and water activity (0.88) was exhibited by the Madumuzhungi paddy sample. The non-pigmented rice samples displayed lower values for thousand kernal weight (TKW), grain volume and surface area. Almost all the variants except White mappillai samba paddy were under 30 g for TKW, indicating the differences between pigmented and non-pigmented landraces. Moisture content significantly affected the gravimetric and engineering properties of the landraces. The correlations between the dimensions and engineering qualities were investigated using principal component analysis (PCA). Five principal components, which account for 100% of the total variance, were used via PCA to reduce the dimensionality of the data.

Quantifying enzyme activities under anaerobic germination in traditional rice landraces to identify donors for direct seeded rice cultivation

Climate change has increased environmental risks globally having an adverse effect on agriculture productivity. Among the abiotic stresses, anaerobic germination stress has been identified as a major stress for seed emergence, plant growth and food production. By understanding the manipulation of germination, antioxidant and fermentation enzymes, adaptations to anaerobic conditions can be improved. The ability of rice to emerge under oxygen deprivation is a determinant of anaerobic germination tolerance, critical for successful direct seeding. There is an urge to identify novel rice genotypes associated with better germination and higher enzymatic activities under anaerobic conditions in order to improve seedling establishment. In the present study, twenty-two rice genotypes were characterized for their anaerobic germination potential by assessing the activities of α- amylase, antioxidant enzymes viz., catalase and peroxidase, and fermentative enzyme viz., alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase under anoxic stress. α- amylase, catalase, peroxidase, alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase activities showed a significant positive association with seed germination under anaerobic conditions. Higher expression of five enzymatic activities confirms anaerobic germination stress tolerance in rice genotypes. This study identified four tolerant genotypes namely Karuppukavuni, Kalanamak, CBMAS 14065, and Kodavilayan, and two moderately tolerant genotypes namely TKM13 and Anna R4 based on principal component analysis and correlation analysis.

Enriched nutraceuticals in gluten-free whole grain rice cookies with alternative sweeteners

Cookies are a popular snack worldwide, but the presence of gluten in most wheat-based cookies poses problems for people with gluten intolerance. Furthermore, gluten-free products are often deficient in nutraceuticals. This study investigated the potential of two traditional Indian rice landraces, Kalanamak and Chak-hao, as alternative cereals for producing whole grain gluten-free cookies with enriched bioactive compounds. The study also evaluated the influence of whole grain rice flours (WGRFs) and different sweeteners on the physical and biochemical properties of the cookies. The substitution of refined wheat flour with WGRFs significantly affected the physical and chemical properties of the cookies. WGRF cookies were generally crispier and had a lower spread ratio resulting in higher sensory evaluation scores. The added health benefits of WGRF derived cookies are likely due to the inherently higher levels of bioactive compounds such as quercetin equivalents with higher hydrogen peroxide scavenging (HPS) capacity and antioxidant activity derived from 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in Chak-hao rice and jaggery. This work shows that WGRFs from Kalanamak and Chak-hao could be viable alternatives to refined wheat flour for producing gluten-free cookies with enhanced nutraceutical benefits.

Exploring the Hidden Potential of Traditional Rice Landraces and Mutants for Iron and Zinc Concentration in Brown Rice to Develop Bio-fortified Rice Varieties

In the present study, 58 rice genotypes were evaluated for three consecutive seasons to enucleate the elite lines with high Fe and Zn contents. ANOVA revealed significant differences among the genotypes for Fe and Zn contents during all three seasons. Furthermore, PCV and GCV were moderate to high for Fe and Zn content during all three seasons. Similarly, high level of heritability and genetic advance were also recorded for both the traits. Iron content of Safri mutant 17-2-48 was consistently high for all the seasons whereas zinc content of Loktimachi was high for two seasons. Interestingly, rice genotypes Chhindmauri, Badsahbhog, Rudra, Danighoda and Suapankhi have been identified to have moderate to high Fe and Zn contents which could be used as donors for developing bio-fortified rice varieties. Stability analysis revealed that the genotypes Jhimiprass, Loktimachi, and CG Zinc Rice 2 for iron content and Rela Dhan, Chhindmauri, and CG Zinc Rice-1 for zinc content have had an average response to environment, making them appropriate for all seasons

Endangered indigenous rice varieties as a source of B vitamins for the undernourished population

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesRice is a staple food for half of the world's population and plays an important role to deliver several micronutrients including B vitamins to humans. The present investigation was carried out to detect some B vitamins and estimate their concentrations in 309 traditional indica rice landraces, compared with three modern rice varieties predominantly available in the Indian market.FindingsLiquid chromatographic examination of the rice samples demonstrated that a large number of traditional rice landraces contained considerable amounts of different B vitamins. In the landraces examined, vitamin B1 (thiamine) was recorded to be present in the range of 0.01–10.55 mg/100 g, vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.01–2.63 mg/100 g, vitamin B3 (niacin) 0.20–4.52 mg/100 g, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 0.01–18.55 mg/100 g, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 0.01–0.86 mg/100 g, and vitamin B7 (biotin) 0.01–5.90 mg/100 g in different rice landraces.ConclusionCompared with traditional rice, modern rice cultivars seem to have substantially lower B vitamin levels. It appears that these vitamin‐rich traditional rice landraces if incorporated into daily diet, may serve to attain nutritional security of the poor.Significance and NoveltyOur results show that many traditional rice landraces are nutritionally superior to any modern rice cultivar, even though traditional rice landraces are normally not in priority for agronomic research and development. This study shows how native rice landraces may be leveraged to constitute novel nutritious diet that could enhance human health.

Genetic variability and diversity of grain nutritional and quality traits of unexplored traditional rice landraces for developing biofortified varieties

Characterization of grain nutritional and quality traits was done in a total of 192 exotic and indigenous rice genotypes were genetically characterized for 16 grain nutritional and quality traits. Substantial genetic variability was observed for all the traits. The coefficient of variation was maximum for flavonoid content (87.10%) and minimum for kernel breadth (11.90%). The estimated coefficient of skewness and kurtosis indicated the presence of genetic interaction among the traits. Based on grain shape 4, 37, 31, 65 and 55 rice genotypes were classified as short slender, short bold, medium slender, long slender and long bold respectively. Further, kernel length was negatively associated with zinc, iron, phenolics and flavonoid contents. Amylose content was positively associated with protein, phenolics and flavonoid contents suggesting that such relationship could serve as grain indices for indirect selection of genotypes. Four genotypes- Oryza officinalis, Oryza latifolia, IC435559 and IC135877 were identified as donors for zinc and iron contents. The genotypes- IC74637, IC301547, IC301589 and IC301625 were identified as potential donors for both phenolics and flavonoid. Five genotypes viz., IC379109, IC331668, Mancha (M:1028), Dubraj (D:1251) and Laxmibhog (L:708) were identified for grain yield, quality and nutritional traits. The identified donors will be useful to develop nutrient dense biofortified varieties. Keywords: Rice landraces, diversity, variability, grain nutritional and quality traits, photochemical

Influence of land preparation on weed dynamics and growth of traditional rice landraces in the diverged location of Tamil Nadu

In recent years, traditional landraces are gaining importance due to its many health benefits. But the main drawback of the traditional rice variety is low productivity with increased water consumption. Therefore different rice establishment methods are to be evaluated. But weed infestation occurs in every establishment method. Hence the present study aimed to study the weed dynamics by evaluating the water-saving technologies compared with puddled transplanting using various landraces. The first field experiment was conducted during Samba (Aug-Sept) 2021 in the wetlands of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The second field experiment was at the Research Station, Melalathur in Tamil Nadu during Navara (Nov-Jan) season 2021. The experiment was laid out in split plot design comprising four establishment methods as main plots viz. Aerobic rice (M1), Puddled transplanting (M2), Unpuddled transplanting (M3), Direct seeded rice (M4) with traditional landraces viz. Karuppu kavuni (V1), Mapillai samba (V2) and Seeraga samba (V3) in sub plots. In this study, weed dynamics like weed density and weed dry weight were recorded along with plant height, leaf area index and total chlorophyll content. Weed density and weed dry weight was 87.82 % and 74.63 % higher in aerobic rice cultivation than puddled transplanting method during all the observations in both experiments. On comparing the land establishment methods, Direct seeded rice performed well with 40.61% of higher plant height, 89.38 % of higher LAI, 38.48 % of increased total chlorophyll content than Aerobic rice cultivation. The landrace mapillai samba showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher plant height of 64.09±7.14 cm, Leaf area index of 2.05±0.992 and total chlorophyll content of 2.56±0.461 mg/g of fresh leaf. Hence this study provides evidence that in the initial stage of rice cultivation, direct seeded rice and the mapillai samba landrace performed well than the other establishment methods and the other two landraces.

Acclimatization of non-cultivated rice landraces to early moisture stress mediated by enzymatic antioxidants and osmolyte accumulation

Moisture stress affects the physiological and biochemical characteristics of plants such as the propensity for cellular water, induces stomatal closure, and reduces photosynthetic capacity, nitrate assimilation and substantial anabolic metabolism. In this study we assessed the antioxidative enzymes and osmolyte accumulation of fifty traditional non-cultivated rice landraces from Tamil Nadu, India. Artificial moisture stress was imposed in a hydroponic setup with maximum osmotic potential of (−) 15 bars. On the basis of drought and leaf rolling scores at 26 d, thirteen landraces were carried forward for further studies. The root/shoot ratio (R/S) was also significant for the selected landraces against IR64 as drought-susceptible check. The genotypes Kuliyadichan, Chandaikar, Mallikar, Nootripathu and Rajalakshmi were able to withstand intense moisture stress at 26 d with a score of 0 and 1, according to standard evaluation system for rice. Photosynthetic pigment and proline content of the above landraces increased during moisture stress in accordance with the positive check IR 64 (Drt1), however differential responses observed in all the landraces. Enzymatic antioxidant markers such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase in shoots of all the selected landraces were greater than IR 64 (Drt1), under moisture stress. We identified Kuliyadichan, Rajalakshmi and Nootripathu as promising landraces with substantial moisture stress tolerance. Further, a positive correlation between overall seedling development and antioxidant enzymes as well as proline accumulation was observed under moisture stress. The mechanisms governing drought tolerance/avoidance in these moisture stress tolerant rice landraces might be attributed to active antioxidant defense system and proline accumulation for alleviating induced oxidative stress. Thus, the identified non-cultivated traditional rice landraces may be employed as potential donors for rice improvement programme towards climate resilience.

Exploring the hidden potential of traditional rice landraces and mutants for iron and zinc concentration in brown rice to develop bio-fortified rice varieties

Exploring the hidden potential of traditional rice landraces and mutants for iron and zinc concentration in brown rice to develop bio-fortified rice varieties

Comparative Nutritional Analysis of Selected Traditional and TNAU Released Rice Varieties to Identify Nutritionally Potent Landraces for Enhancing Food Security

Widely consumed type of rice in the world with white pericarp and is known as non-pigmented white rice. Recently, pigmented traditional rice varieties have become popular among the consumers due to its dark pigmented pericarp having nutritional value. This type of rice variety is important in determining the digestibility of starch and its Glycemic index (GI). The digestibility of the rice depends on the properties of starch, including its crystallinity and amylose: amylopectin ratio. Hence, the study focuses on the analysis of phyto nutrients in the selected traditional and TNAU released rice varieties to identify the low GI lines. Nutritional analysis of the selected traditional rice genotypes namely Karuppu kavuni, Karun kuruvai (black), Kaattuyanam, Mapillai samba and Kuruvai kalanchiyam and five ruling TNAU released rice varieties (ADT 52, TKM 9,TKM 13, ASD 16 and CO51) has been carried out. Among the selected traditional and TNAU - released rice varieties, Mapillai samba showed the strongest alpha-amylase inhibition (IC50 = 23.15 μg/mL), maximum anthocyanin content (48.37 mg/100g), and phenolic content (45.8 mg/100g), highest total antioxidant activity (51.8% DPPH scavenging activity. Mapillai samba (31) and Kuruvai kalanjiyam (27.5) were identified as low glycemic index lines. Hence, the pigmented traditional rice landraces can be used as a source of functional foods.

Genetic Diversity and Phylogenetic Position of Traditional Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Landraces: A Case Study of South Kalimantan in Indonesia

Traditional rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces provide many essential genes for improving yield, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, and other parameters for future rice breeding. This study aimed to analyze the genetic diversity and determine the phylogenetic position of the traditional rice landraces from the tidal swamp areas of South Kalimantan, Indonesia, compared to other rice germplasm, including wild relatives, obtained from the GenBank database, using a cpDNA-rbcL marker. In this case, six traditional rice landraces from this region were collected and analyzed molecularly using the rbcL marker and compared with 16 similar others and 25 wild relatives from the GenBank database. The genetic diversity of this germplasm was determined using the nucleotide diversity index (π), whereas the phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood with bootstrap for 1 000 replicates. The principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to confirm this grouping. Based on this marker, the traditional rice landraces have a genetic diversity of 0.38, lower than intra-species and inter-species levels, i.e., 0.44 and 0.83, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis shows that this germplasm has separated from most O. sativa rice cultivars and their wild relatives, except for the ‘GBVN’ and ‘NARC’ (comparison cultivars obtained from GenBank). This information has substantial implications for future rice breeding and conservation efforts, locally and globally.

Genetic Improvement in Plant Architecture, Maturity Duration and Agronomic Traits of Three Traditional Rice Landraces through Gamma Ray-Based Induced Mutagenesis.

Mutation breeding offers a simple, fast and efficient way to rectify major defects without altering their original identity. The present study deployed radiation (gamma rays @ 300Gy)-induced mutation breeding for the improvement and revival of three traditional rice landraces, viz., Samundchini, Vishnubhog and Jhilli. Among the various putative mutants identified in the M2 generation, only three, ten and five rice mutants of Samundchini, Vishnubhog and Jhilli, respectively, were advanced to the M4, M5 and M6 generations, along with their parents and three checks for evaluations based on 13 agro-morphological and 16 grain quality traits. Interestingly, all the mutants of the three landraces showed a reduction in days to 50% flowering and plant height as compared to their parents in all the three generations. The reduction in days to 50% flowering ranges from 4.94% (Vishnubhog Mutant V-67) to 21.40% (Jhilli Mutant J-2-13), whereas the reduction in plant height varies from 11.28% (Vishnubhog Mutant V-45-2, Vishnubhog Mutant V-67) to 37.65% (Jhilli Mutant J-15-1). Furthermore, two, six and three mutants of Samundchini, Vishnubhog and Jhilli have increased their yield potential over their corresponding parents, respectively. Interestingly, Samundchini Mutant S-18-1 (22.45%), Vishnubhog Mutant V-74-6 (36.87%) and Jhilli Mutant J-13-5 (25.96%) showed the highest yield advantages over their parents. Further, a pooled analysis of variance based on a randomized complete block design revealed ample variations among the genotypes for the studied traits. In addition, all the traits consistently showed high to moderate PCV and GCV and a slight difference between them in all three generations indicated the negligible effect of the environment. Moreover, in the association analysis, the traits, viz., fertile spikelets/panicle, panicle length, total tillers/plant, spikelet fertility percent and 100-seed weight showed the usual grain yield/plant, whereas the traits hulling (%) and milling (%) with HRR (%) consistently showed high direct effects and significant positive correlations. The SSR marker-based genome similarity in rice mutants and corresponding parents ranged from 95.60% to 71.70% (Vishnubhog); 95.62% to 89.10% (Samundchini) and 95.62% to 80.40% (Jhilli), indicating the trueness of the mutants. Moreover, the UPGMA algorithm and Gower distance-based dendrogram, neighbour joining tree and PCA scatter diagram assured that mutants were grouped with their respective parents and fell into separate clusters showing high similarity between mutants and parents and dissimilarity among the 24 genotypes. Overall, the information and materials generated from the current study will be very useful and informative for students, researchers and plant breeders. Additionally, our results also showed that irradiation could generate a considerable amount of genetic variability and provide new avenues for crop improvement and diversification.