Abstract

Effects and efficiency of gamma ray treatments on induced variability for yield contributing traits were studied in Chinese potato (Coleus parviflorus Benth), in which lack of morphological variability has been observed in the germplasm collection made so far. Underground tubers weighing 1.5 g/uber of accession number CP 11 were treatment with 1 KR, 2 KR, 3 kr and 4 kR gamma rays. Besides tubers weighing 3 g and 6g/tuber were also treated with 3 KR gamma rays. The study indicated that the growth reduction in MVI generation was linear, with increasing dose of gamma rays and the 50% growth reduction (LD50) dose observed was with 3 kR gamma ray treatment. From the study more than 50 different morphological solid mutants were obtained representing variability for plant structure (new ideotype), leaf size and shape, flowering and tuber characters.

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