The Effects of Different Doses of Gamma Ray and EMS on Formation of Chlorophyll Mutations in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.

Abstract

The main target of breeding programmes has been to develop high yielding durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars. Breeding programmes aim to exploit the existing variability and to enhance genetic variation. Genetic variation may be broadened through experimental mutagenesis. An important plant breeding problem is the selection of suitable mutagenic treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of durum wheat cultivars to mutagens by detecting fertility of M ı plants and chlorophyll mutations in M2 plants. This study was carried out in Tokat-Kazova conditions in 1996 and 1997. Gediz-75 and Sofu durum wheat cultivars were used as plant material in the trial. The gamma rays obtained from Cobalt 60 (60Co) as physical mutagen and the EMS as chemical mutagen were used. The seeds were irradiated with 50 Gy, 100 Gy, 150 Gy and 200 Gy gamma rays or treated with 0.1 %, 0.2 %, 0.3 % and 0.4 % EMS (Ethyl Methane Sulphonate). The seeds were treated with EMS at 24 °C for 8 hours without presoaked and were washed for 6 hours after treatment. Either of treated cultivars were grown separately in the trial. Besides, the treatments of gamma rays and EMS separately were "Randomized Complete Block Design" with three replications. According to the results of this research, fertility in M ı plants was lower with gamma ray application compared to EMS application. The spectrum and frequency of mutations were varied with treatments of mutagen and cultivars. The effect of mutagens markedly increased with high doses. The highest mutagenic efficiency was obtained from 0.4 % EMS dose in Gediz-75 cultivar and from 100 Gy gamma ray dose in Sofu cultivar.