Plant mutagenesis and crop improvement

Abstract

To increase the production of food by a minimum of 70 % for the next decades is a big challenge. There is an urgent need to eradicate the hunger of an increasing human population, which is becoming disturbing because of climate change, decreasing water resources, a decline of arable land, and by the serious health and environmental hazard due to the use of agrochemicals. Increased production of quality food with low input is deemed to be a very fascinating option. On the other hand, the limitation of variations in plant crops, especially staple crops, limits the options of uncovering new alleles of genes. Hence, new variations among plant crops with new gene combinations and induced mutation is the better option thus far. Induced mutation uncovers the new combination of genes that result in a new breed with superior traits to the parents. In addition to that, cell and molecular biology methods are increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of mutation induction and detection of novel alleles of genes. Different mutagens mainly include physical and chemical mutagens and are now being applied by researchers for plant mutagenesis. This chapter reviews the methodology of mutation induction, mutagens that are being used for this purpose, and how they help us to improve the crop.