In Vitro Production of Somaclones with Decreased Erucic Acid Content in Indian Mustard [Brassica juncea (Linn.) Czern&Coss]

Brassica juncea is a crucial cultivated mustard species and principal oilseed crop of India and Madhya Pradesh, grown for diverse vegetables, condiments, and oilseeds. Somaclonal variation was explored as a probable source of additional variability for the manipulation of fatty acids, especially low erucic acid contents that may be valuable for this commercially important plant species. The plantlets regenerated from tissue cultures (R-0), their R-1 generation and respective parental lines were compared for morpho-physiological traits and fatty acid profile for the probable existence of somaclonal variations. The first putative somaclone derived from genotype CS54 contained 5.48% and 5.52% erucic acid in R-0 and R-1 regenerants, respectively, compared to the mother plant (41.36%). In comparison, the second somaclone acquired from PM30 exhibited a complete absence of erucic acid corresponding to its mother plant (1.07%). These putative somaclones present a source of variation for exploitation in the development of future mustard crops with low erucic acid content.

Automated summary

Brassica juncea is a principal oilseed crop of India and Madhya Pradesh, with somaclonal variations explored as a potential source of additional variability for manipulating fatty acids, especially low erucic acid content. Putative somaclones derived from tissue cultures showed varying levels of erucic acid compared to parental lines, providing a potential source of variation for developing future mustard crops with low erucic acid content.