Mutation frequencies in barley after treatment with γ-radiation, ethylene, imine, ethyl methansulfonate and maleic hydrazide

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1139/g62-022· OSTI ID:4780733

Arnason, T. J.; Mohammed, Laila; Koehler, Donna; Renneberg, F. M.

The frequency of mutations affecting chloroplastids and their pigments in barley after treatment with gamma -radiation, ethylene imine, ethyl methanesulfonate and maleic hydrazide was investigated. Some combinations of chemicals or of chemicals and radiation were also used. Of 14,000 spikes of untreated barley only 11 had new chlorophyll mutations. The mutation frequency per spike was 0.0007. When dry grains were irradiated with small doses of gamma -rays the results indicated that the doubling dose was in the 25 to 100 r range. With the largest radiation dose, 10,800 r, the mutation frequency per 100 spikes was 6.1. The effectiveness of each r of dose in inducing transmissible mutations appeared to decline as the dose was increased. Seeds soaked in adenine-thymine solutions for some hours before and after irradiation yielded fewer mutations than did irradiated water-soaked seeds. The highest mutation frequency obtained in experiments with ethylene imine alone was 20.5%. When seeds were treated with both ethylene imine and adenine thymine solutions the mutation frequency rose to 23.8%. These substances when combined may have a synergistic effect. Ethyl methanesulfonate was the most effective of the tested mutagens, giving a maximal frequency of 39.8% mutant spikes. Maleic hydrazide solutions induced very few mutations in the embryos of barley seeds. The compound exerted a slight protective effect when applied prior to gamma -irradiation treatment.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Can.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-028775
• OSTI ID: 4780733
• Journal Information: Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology, Journal Name: Canadian Journal of Genetics and Cytology Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 4; ISSN 0008-4093
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ADENINE
BARLEY
CEREALS
CHLOROPHYLL
ETHYL RADICALS
ETHYLENE
GAMMA RADIATION
HETEROCYCLICS
HYDRAZIDES
IMINES
MALEIC ACID
METHANE
MUTATIONS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PIGMENTS
PLANT CELLS
PYRIMIDINES
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION PROTECTION
SEEDS
SULFONIC ACIDS
THYMINE
VITAMIN B-4
VITAMINS
WATER