Gamma-ray (60CO)
and thermal neutron induced tassel seed and male sterile mutants in popcorn
(Z. mays var. praecox Sturt.)
--Adamu, AK
Male sterility is an important tool, which
may effectively eliminate hand emasculation in genetic improvement. Air
dried seed were irradiated with different doses of gamma-rays and thermal
neutrons, with the aim of inducing male sterile mutants. The different
types of mutants induced were plants developing seeds on tassels (tassel
seed). "Highly Sterile" are plants whose tassels were completely turned
into female ears (unisexual mutants) and are usually seed sterile. Partially
"Sterile" mutants are plants with ears on the normal part of the stem and
an additional ear in place of tassels. The appearance of the different
categories of male sterile mutants tends to increase with dose in both
gamma-ray and thermal neutron treatment. However, only about 4% of the
M1 male sterile mutants induced were transmitted to the M2 generation.
Please Note: Notes submitted to the Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter may be cited only with consent of the authors.
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