Gamma radiosensitivity study on wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. Durum)

Abstract

Fifty wheat seed variety (var.) CIRNO C2008 were gamma irradiated with 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600 Gy by using a Cobalt-60 source at 907.39 Gy/h, and the nonirradiated seeds were considered the control (M0). A photoperiod of 13 h of darkness (14°C) and 11 h of light (2 h at 18°C, 7 h at 25°C, and 2 h at 18°C) was used for 30 days, in a growth chamber (BJPX-A450; BIOBASE) for quantifying the morphometric traits of the irradiated vs nonirradiated seeds. The germination percentage (from 88.89% in M0 to 77.78% in 600 Gy) did not show significant differences among treatments; while the survival percentage (from 100% in M0 to 6.66% in 600 Gy) and plant height (from 19.21 cm in M0 to 1.16 cm in 600 Gy) showed negative significant (p < 0.05) difference among nonirradiated seeds (M0) and the rest of the treatments. Finally, based on the survival percentage, the calculated lethal dose was 290.6 Gy, which will allow obtaining promising wheat mutants. Gamma irradiation is a promising alternative to obtain a greater wheat variability for advanced mutant lines.