EFFECTS OF 14MeV NEUTRONS IN HETEROZYGOTIC EINKORN WHEAT

Abstract

Heterozygotic F1 seeds from the cross between normal and chlorina mutant of the diploid wheat, Triticum monococcum L. var. flavescens Korn. were subjected to gamma-rays and 14 MeV neutrons. Up to 900 rad of neutrons had no apparent effect on germination rate. Survival rates slowly decreased with increasing dosage. A similar tendency was observed in the average number of tillers, but it was not marked. Somatic mutation rate was calculated on spike basis. An almost linear relation of the mutation curve was observed between mutation frequency and neutron dosage. The relative biological effectiveness value of neutron was very high. When the fertility was compaied between mutated and non-mutated tillers, average fertility in the former was lower than in the latter, suggesting that most of somatic mutation arises from chromosome aberrations.