Chemosensitivity analysis of tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and colchicine mutagens

Four hundred tubers of four genotypes, two brown and two black tiger nuts were subjected to Ethyl Methanesulfonate (EMS) and Colchicine treatments at concentrations of 0 %, 0.1 %, 0.25 %, 0.5 % and 1.0 % for 24 h. Each genotype had twenty tubers treated with each of the five different concentrations and were planted using Complete Randomized Design (CRD) in a greenhouse. Quantitative data was collected and LD(50) and RD(50) were analysed using Excell 2016 and Genstat 11.2. A general decreasing trend in percentage germination and plant height was observed with increasing concentrations of mutagens applied. An EMS treatment had LD(50) and RD(50) values of 0.97 % and 1.49 % for black and 0.63 % and 1.63 % for brown genotypes. Similarly, the percentage colchicine treatment had LD(50) and RD(50) values of 1.65 % and 19.51 % concentrations for black and 0.91 % and 1.71 % concentrations for brown genotypes.