Mutagenic Efficiency, Effectiveness and Factor of Effectiveness of Physical and Chemical Mutagens in Rice

Abstract

Two varieties of rice, namely, Tella hamsa and IR-24 were utilized to study the mutagenic efficiency, effectiveness and factor of effectiveness by physical (gamma rays) and chemical mutagens (HA, NMU and MMS) in rice. The frequency of chlorophyll mutants in M₂ generation and mutants per mutation showed similar trend in physical and chemical mutagen treated population of Tella hamsa but differed in IR-24. The frequency of chlorophyll mutations was highest in medium fertile group of gamma treatment in both the varieties. Whereas in chemical mutagen treated population, the frequency was highest in high fertile group in Tella hamsa and in medium fertile group in IR-24. Chemical mutagens were efficient in Tella hamsa while gamma treatment in IR-24. Chemical mutagens were markedly effective than physical mutagens in the production of chlorophyll mutants in both the varieties. The factor of effectiveness was uniformly hgth in gamma treatment over chemical mutagens in IR-24, whereas in Tella hamsa the chemical mutagen MMS recorded the highest followed by gamma rays.