2024, Vol. 7, Issue 12, Part I

author(s)
V Premalakshmi, N Richard Kennedy, K Rajamani and MI Manivannan

abstract
Cassia angustifolia commonly known as Tinnevelly Senna, is a well known source of sennoside. It is a shrub belonging to the family Fabaceae. The plant leaves, pods and seeds provide the drug Senna. This experiment was conducted at college Orchard, VOC AC& RI, Killikulam. The five promising mutants viz., M₃ -11 -1 -5 (T₁), M₃- 1-2-2 (T₂), M₃- 1-3-4 (T₃), M₃ - 3-3-4 (T₄) and M₃- 4-1-3 (T₅) along with the check var. KKM 1 and four replication were evaluated for their performance. The data on Plant height (cm), Number of branches, Plant spread (cm), Leaf yield (Fresh and Dry weight in g) and Pod characters were recorded. The plant height ranges from 91.30 cm (T₁) to 100.93 cm (T₄). Highest plant height was recorded in the mutant (T₄) with 100.93 cm. Number of branches ranges from 7.18 (T₂) to 9.38 (T₅), fresh weight of leaves ranges from 76.40 g (T₁) to 249.20 g (T₅) and dry weight of leaves ranges from 14.71 (T₁) to 54.59 (T₅). The maximum no. of branches, fresh and dry weight of leaves was recorded in the mutant (T₅) with 9.38, 249.20 g, 54.59 g respectively compared to check variety KKM-1. Highest dry recovery % was seen in (T₅) with 21.90 compared to check variety KKM-1. Number of pods per plant was maximum in (T₁) 86.68 but pod weight and length was maximum in (T₅) with 302.20 g and 5.05 cm respectively. Maximum pod width was seen in both (T₂) and (T₃) with 1.65 cm. T₁ recorded the highest seed per pod with 7.50. The maximum plant spread was seen (T₁) 69.60cm in east to west direction and 52.50 (T₁) in north to south direction. Among the five mutants, M₃- 4-1-3 (T₅) recorded the highest yield compared to check variety KKM-1 and this mutant was further used for improvement of crop. The alkaloid content in senna was sennoside (A &B) found in both leaves and pods. In this study sennoside (A & B) in the leaves, ranged from 1.43% (T₃) to 1.60% (T₁). Maximum sennoside was seen in 1.60% (T₁) followed by 1.54% (T₂).