Genetic Improvement in Different Crop Plants using Induced Mutagenesis with Special Reference to Pulses and Cereals: A Review

Current world scenario of hunger and malnutrition problem is posing a great threat to the human civilization. Millions of people are undernourished globally according to the reports of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2015). Pulses and cereals have been used for their high percentage of proteins and carbohydrates in seeds. Pulse crops also have the ability to enrich the soil fertility due to their nitrogen fixing ability of their root nodules. Further, it is not only the high protein content of pulses for which they are important, but the amino acid profile of these proteins is such that the mixed diet of cereals and pulses has superior biological value than either of the components alone. However, with increase in population, per capita availability of pulses is getting reduced. As against recommended daily requirement of 50-60 grams, current per capita availability of pulses in India is less than 30 grams per day. India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses and depends mostly on pulses and cereals for their food. Urbanization and drastic climatic changes like drought, global warming, different environmental stresses etc. have led to considerable loss of crop productivity throughout the world leading to food insecurity. Scientists all over the world are using sophisticated approaches in developing improved varieties of crop plants that are high yielding and show considerable resistance to drastic environmental changes. Physical and chemical mutagenesis has been proved to be a convenient tool compared to other conventional processes in inducing desirable variability in crop plants related to yield and other components. In the light of above all, it is necessary for a scientist to study in detail the all aspects of different approaches that are used to increase the yield and productivity in different crop plants. The current review covers all aspects of study during the different approaches of physical and chemical mutagenesis for increasing food security and developing high yielding and stress resistant plants.