Induction of mutagenesis by Gamma radiation and their early evaluation by RAPD on Lathyrus odoratus L.

Abstract

The study was carried out at one of Baghdad nurseries during 2014-2015, to assess the effect of Gammarays on the Genotype of Lathyrus odoratus L. seeds and its effect on vegetative and floral characters, four doses of Gamma rays (10, 20, 30, and 40 K.rad) were used in Nuclear Physics Labs, College of Science, University of Baghdad. Genetic mutations was detected in the F1 plants using Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD), The results of RAPD analysis showed genetic differences among treatments of F1 seeds. Used primers gave 57 bands in all treatments, 20 of them were similar bands while 37 where polymorphic bands with a ratio of (64.91%), the highest Genetic Distance was observed in 40 K.rad (38.4%). The mutated seeds of the first mutated generation was planted according to the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) within three replicates, means were compared using LSD test at a 0.05 probability range.Gammaraysimproved vegetative and floral characters. Treating seeds with 20 K.rad gave the highest plant height (179.37cm), smallest number of days for flowering (134.05day), highest flower stalk length (37.49cm), highest flower diameter (5cm), and highest flowers life (15.67day). 30 K.rad treatment gave the highest main stem diameter (3.02cm), number of branches (40.69 branch.plant-1), leaf area (589.35 cm2), dry matter percentage for vegetative growth (27.88 %), and flower diameter (5 cm). The number of flowers were higher (59.33 flower.plant-1) when seeds was exposed to 40 K.rad. Gamma ray treatments led to the emergence of new characters in plants such as infertility, dwarfing, and mosaic.