Radiation and chemical mutagen induced somaclonal variations through in vitro organogenesis of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the investigation was to induce somaclonal variations by gamma rays (GR), ethylmethane sulphonate (EMS) and sodium azide (SA) during in vitro organogenesis of cotton.


METHODS
The shoot tip explants were irradiated with 5-50 Gray (Gy) GR (Cobalt 60), 0.5-5.0 mM EMS and SA separately, and inoculated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with plant growth regulator (PGR) for organogenesis. The plantlets with well-developed root systems were acclimatized and transferred into the experimental field to screen the somaclonal variations during growth and development.


RESULTS
The number of somaclonal variations was observed in growth of irradiated/treated shoot tips, multiplication, plantlet regeneration and growth in vitro and ex vitro. The lower doses/concentrations of mutagenic treatments showed significant enhancement in selected agronomical characters and they showed decreased trends with increasing doses/concentrations of mutagenic agents.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study revealed the influence of lower doses/concentrations of mutagenic treatments on in vitro and ex vitro growth of cotton plantlets and their significant improvement in agronomical characters which needs further imperative stability analysis. The present observations showed the platform to use lower doses/concentrations of mutagenic agents to induce variability for enhanced agronomical characters, resistant and tolerant cotton varieties.
Department of Plant Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University , Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu , India.
Annamalai
A
Muthusamy
Narayanasamy
N
Jayabalan
D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate / Q000633:toxicity*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003368:Gossypium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000528:radiation effects; D012038:Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D019810:Sodium Azide / Q000633:toxicity*
D009153:Mutagens; D019810:Sodium Azide; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate
Cotton; characters; mutagenesis; performance; plantlets; variations