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. 2024 May 9:15:1378368.
doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1378368. eCollection 2024.

Enhancing genetic variability in Trigonella species through sodium azide induction: morpho-physiological and chromosomal amelioration

Neha Naaz  1 , Sana Choudhary  1 , Nazarul Hasan  1 , Nidhi Sharma  1 , Khadiga Alharbi  2 , Diaa Abd El Moneim  3
Affiliations

Enhancing genetic variability in Trigonella species through sodium azide induction: morpho-physiological and chromosomal amelioration

Neha Naaz et al. Front Genet. .

Abstract

Plant breeding, aimed at enhancing desired traits, depends on genetic diversity. Mutation breeding is a powerful method of rapidly expanding genetic diversity, facilitating crop improvement, and ensuring food security. In a recent study, researchers evaluated the genetic variability of Trigonella species using different doses of sodium azide (SA) (0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, and 1.0%) through morphological, physiological, and cytogenetic studies. Morphological variations were observed in cotyledonary leaves, vegetative leaves, and overall plant growth and habit. Several quantitative parameters, such as plant height, fertile branches per plant, pods per plant (or clusters), seeds per pod, and seed yield, increased when treated with 0.2% and 0.4% SA compared to the control. Furthermore, the total chlorophyll content and carotenoids increased in the sample treated with 0.2% SA over the control but decreased with higher concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that stomatal aperture and seed dimensions increased at lower concentrations of sodium azide treatment. The study found a positive correlation between the different parameters studied in the Trigonella species, as indicated by high r-values. Based on their findings, it was concluded that the genotype of fenugreek can be improved by using 0.2% and 0.4% concentrations of sodium azide. However, the evaluation of observed variants in successive generations is a critical and necessary process to validate their potential as keystones for crop genetic improvements.

Keywords: chromosomal alterations; crop genetic improvement; fenugreek genotype; genetic diversity; plant breeding.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Effect of SA on seed germination, plant survival, and pollen fertility of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Trigonella corniculata. Data are presented as mean ± SE of five replicates (n = 5) of each treatment. Error bars with different lowercase letters are significant at the 5% level of significance, tested by the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT). Significant differences between groups were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (Two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05). NS, not significant.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Effect of SA on chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, carotenoids, and proline content of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Trigonella corniculata. Data are presented as mean ± SE of five replicates (n = 5) of each treatment. Error bars with different lowercase letters are significant at the 5% level of significance, tested by the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT). Significant differences between groups were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05). NS, not significant.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Effect of SA on plant height, fertile branches/plant, pods/plant (cluster), seeds/pod, 1,000-seed weight, and seed yield of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Trigonella corniculata. Data are presented as mean ± SE of five replicates (n = 5) of each treatment. Significant differences between groups were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05). NS, not significant.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Chromosomal abnormalities induced by SA in (A) Trigonella foenum-graecum (a) prophase I—diakinesis, (b) metaphase I, (c) anaphase I, (d) telophase II, (e) disturbed metaphase I, (f) anaphase I—unequal separation and one laggard, (g) sticky anaphase I with three laggards, (h) chromatin bridge at anaphase I, and (i) laggard at anaphase II; and (B) Trigonella corniculata (a) prophase I—diakinesis, (b) anaphase I, (c) telophase I, (d) telophase II, (e) stickiness at metaphase I, (f) anaphase I with three laggards, (g) stray chromosomes, (h) unsynchronized anaphase II, and (i) disturbed polarity.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
SEM microphotographs of stomata of SA-treated (A) Trigonella foenum-graecum and (B) Trigonella corniculata.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
SEM microphotographs of SA-treated seed of (A) Trigonella foenum-graecum and (B) Trigonella corniculata.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Effect of SA on stomatal length, stomatal width, seed length, and seed width of Trigonella foenum-graecum and Trigonella corniculata. Data are presented as mean ± SE of five replicates (n = 5) of each treatment. Error bars with different lowercase letters are significant at the 5% level of significance, tested by the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT). Significant differences between groups were analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA, p < 0.05). NS, not significant.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Pearson correlation coefficient between the parameters of (A) Trigonella foenum-graecum and (B) Trigonella corniculata. Significant differences are indicated as *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, and ***p ≤ 0.001. SG, seed germination; PS, plant survival; PF, pollen fertility; PH, plant height; BPP, branches per plant; PPP, pods per plant; CPP, cluster per plant; SPP, seeds per pod; SW, seed weight; SY, seed yield; Ca, chlorophyll a; Cb, chlorophyll b; TC, total chlorophyll; C, carotenoids; P, proline.
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9
Heatmap analysis of all the parameters of SA-treated desi methi and kasuri methi.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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