Title: Ethidium bromide—An efficient mutagen in higher plants
Abstract: The acridine compound, ethidium bromide (EB) was compared to ethyl methane-sulfonate (EMS) and proved to be an efficient mutagen in peanuts, Arachis hypogaea L. Solutions of 0.63 mM and 1.26 mM (250 and 500 mg/l, respectively) of EB were used to induce mutatinos in developing embryos and mature seeds of four cultivars of peanuts, by soaking them for 24–168 h. The M1, M2, M3, and where necessary the M4 generations were studied. Chlorophyll, leaflet, plant size and growth habit mutation yields and spectra were compared to those induced by EMS (19.33 mM, 38.66 mM and 58.0 mM, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6, respectively). The mutagenic efficiency of EB was much higher than that of EMS. Treatments of developing embryos produced larger chimeras in the M1 and resulted in higher mutation rates. There were differences in the mutation spectra between EMS and EB: the latter induced most frequently plant size mutations followed by chlorpphyll mutations while for EMS the opposite was true. There were spectra differences also between the stages treated. Growth habit mutations which may be cytoplasmic or nuclear were induced by both mutagens and a breeding test has been developed to check their nature. Since EB has a different chemical mode of action than EMS, is stable in solution and proved to be a very efficient mutagen, it appears very promising and should be tried in other higher plants.
Publication Year: 1975
Publication Date: 1975-06-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot