Induction and characterization of a novel high-protein mutant in peanut (Arachis Hypogaea L.)

Abstract Peanut, a globally significant food crop, is highly valued for its nutritional and economic importance. However, breeding efforts to enhance its protein content have been limited. In this study, a two-step chemical mutagenesis strategy was utilized on the normal-protein Spanish-type peanut cultivar Fuhua 19 (< 25% protein) to generate high-protein mutants. Through successive rounds of mutagenesis combined with near-infrared spectroscopy screening, eight mutants with protein levels ex