Mutation Breeding in Maize (Zea mays L.) by Using Different Doses of Gamma Irradiation

Abstract

This experiments of this Research were conducted to study effect of the gamma irradiation doses on four genotypes of maize (Zea mays L.) (Var-113, Hudiba-1, Hudiba-2 mug45). The maize genotypes were subjected to four doses (50, 100, 150 and 200GY) of gamma irradiation including control. One laboratory and two field experiments were conducted. The laboratory experiment was conducted to study the germination percentage, shoot, root and shoot to root ratios of the germinated seedling. The results of the laboratory experiments revealed that the growth of the four genotypes was decreased with increasing of gamma irradiation doses. The field experiments were conducted at two locations Shambat, College of Agricultural Research studies and Madeni, the experimental farm of Agricultural Research Corporation. During the summer season of 2014, the design of the experiment was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. All the maize treated seeds with gamma irradiation were used in the field experiments. Different growth and yield characters were measured. The results revealed the failure of germination of all treated seed of the four genotypes except (zero and 50GY) doses. Significant results were obtained between the two doses (zero and 50GY), the genotypes and their interaction for most of the studied characters. This significance could be of a great value in any maize breeding program. The results of this study revealed that the availability of using gamma irradiation in any maize breeding program in the future.