Research Article
Nita Lakra* and S. N. Mishra
Abstract
The heavy ion radiations (HIR)-induced mutations may lead to either lethality or survival; depending on irradiation dose, type of species, physiological status and DNA breaks and their repairibility. In present study, the effects of 7Li3+ ion irradiation exposure on seeds were studied to elucidate the change in total oil that contains important fatty acid including glucosinolate in seeds of Brassica juncea cv RH-30 grown in field for three years. The total seed oil and fatty acid content varied in oil seeds of crop depending on irradiation dose and crop cycle. The palmitic acid, a saturated and cholesterol raising fatty acid decreased at two lower dosage up to M2 generation, but little increased in M3 generation seeds. The unsaturated fatty acids (Oleic, Linoleic, Linolenic and Eicosenoic acid) increased 10-18% depending on dosages over control. There was considerable increase in glucosinolates due to irradiation only in M1 cycle, but thereafter decreased up to M3 cycle. Erucic acid level also varied with dose and crop cycle. The study suggests that mustard could be good potential model system for desirable change in fatty acid composition might be implicated in neutraceutical and HIR specific dose may be exploited for improvement