Induced polygenic variations through γ-rays irradiation and selection of novel genotype in chamomile (Chamomilla recutita [L.] Rauschert)

Abstract

Purpose: To develop elite mutants in chamomile (Chamomilla recutita [L.] Rauschert) for increasing the quantity and quality of essential oil rich in acetylenic compound (2Z,8Z)-matricaria acid methyl ester by applying $\gamma$-rays irradiation. Molecular and chemical analysis was performed for ithe dentification/differentiation of mutant genotype.

Materials and methods: Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita [L.] Rauschert) variety Vallary seeds were irradiated by applying $\gamma$-rays irradiation at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and1000 Gy doses at a dose rate of 55 Gy/min and mutants were isolated and analyzed for the quantity and quality of essential oil. The oil was found to be rich in acetylenic compound (2Z,8Z)-matricaria acid methyl ester and the results obtained were validated using gas chromatography (GC) coupled with either Flame Ionization detection (GC-FID) or mass spectrometer (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).

Results: The selected mutant SELM-1 (Selection Mutant-1) showed the production potential of 7.00–7.50 q ha⁻¹ dry flowers and 6.00–6.50 kg ha⁻¹ essential oil yield. Essential oil of mutant SELM-1 contained in [(2Z,8Z)-matricaria acid methyl ester] (76–80%) useful in cosmetic, perfumery, and pharmaceutical industries.

Conclusion: $\gamma$-rays irradiation method is a very efficient mutation breeding method for chamomile crop. GC-FID or GC-MS and NMR methods are found to be the most powerful methods for screening of essential oil chemical compounds isolated from the mutants. The novel mutant (SELM-1) is very promising in terms of high flower and essential oil yield rich in acetylenic compound (2Z,8Z)-matricaria acid methyl ester (76–80%), hence, it was released as variety in Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (CIMAP), Lucknow U.P. (India) named as CIM-Ujjwala for commercial cultivation.

Keywords:

• Chemotype
• flavonoids; γ-irradiation
• matricaria acid methyl ester
• mutagenesis

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful for the support and facilities provided by Director, CSIR-CIMAP, UP, Lucknow, India.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) India under CSIR-Emeritus Scientist Scheme funding via Sanction No. 21 (1020)/16/EMR-II dated 18-11-2016 and CSIR- Aroma mission HCP 0007 under CIMAP Publication No. CIMAP/Pub/2018/37.

Notes on contributors

Raj Kishori Lal

Raj Kishori Lal, PhD. He is an Emeritus Scientist of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Genetics and Plant Breeding division. He has specialized in the areas of mutation breeding and genetic improvement of medicinal and aromatic plants.

Chandan Singh Chanotiya

Chandan Singh Chanotiya, PhD (Natural Product Chemistry). He is Senior Scientist of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Department of Analytical Chemistry. He has specialized in the areas chemistry of medicinal and aromatic plant resources of Uttarakhand Himalaya, essential oil chemistry, separation of enantiomeric pairs of terpenoids and their enantiomeric excess/ratio, separation of chiral pairs in two dimensional axis, chromatography, spectrometry and spectroscopy of terpenoids.

Ved Ram Singh

Ved Ram Singh, PhD. He is Senior Principal Scientist of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Genetics and Plant Breeding division. He has specialized in the areas of plant breeding in medicinal and aromatic plants.

Sunita Singh Dhawan

Sunita Singh Dhawan, PhD. (Plant Biotechnology). She is Principal Scientist of CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Department of Plant Biotechnology. She has specialized in the areas of plant molecular biology and biotechnology and microarray applications.

Pankhuri Gupta

Pankhuri Gupta, M.Tech (Biotechnology). She is Project Assistant in CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants and works on plant molecular markers.

Shama Shukla

Shama Shukla, Msc, is a Senior Research Fellow in CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Genetics and Plant Breeding department. She works on breeding in MAPs.

Anand Mishra

Anand Mishra, PhD. (Plant Biotechnology) is a Research Associate in CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic plants in the Genetics and Plant Breeding division and works on plant breeding and biotechnology.