Development of an efficient mutagenesis technique using ion beams: Toward more controlled mutation breeding

Abstract

Ion beams have been used as a mutagen to improve the eficiency of plant mutation breeding. Mutation breeding is sometimes perceived as a random process. In this review, we describe our recent progress in developing a more effcient mutagenesis technique using ion beam irradiation combined with sucrose pretreatment or subsequent reirradiation. To shorten the time required for breeding new cultivars of cyclamen, we identified anthocyanin biosynthesis genes and examined the effectiveness of PCR screening of irradiated deletion-mutant candidates at early growth stages. We believe this research is a step toward more effcient and controlled mutation breeding using ion beams. © 2012 The Japanese Society for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology.