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Mutation Breeding
Concepts tested here
- Physical mutagens in plant breeding
All Questions
2005 AIPMT 1 question
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Which of the following is generally used for induced mutagenesis in crop plants -Mutation breeding is the process of inducing genetic variation by changing the base sequence of genes using chemicals or radiations, and then selecting the useful mutants.
Gamma rays obtained from radioactive cobalt-60 are the most commonly used mutagen for crop plants.
They have high penetrating power, so they can easily reach the cells of seeds and other plant parts, and the source is convenient to use (for example in a gamma garden).
Alpha particles have very low penetrating power, and UV light penetrates only the surface layers of cells, so they are of limited use for whole seeds.
X-rays have been used, but gamma rays are the general choice.
For example, mung bean varieties resistant to yellow mosaic virus and powdery mildew were developed by mutation breeding.
So gamma rays (from cobalt 60) are generally used.