Azide mutagenesis in rice—Effect of concentration and soaking time on induced chlorophyll mutation frequency

Abstract

The mutagenecity of sodium azide in rice with reference to the effects of concentration and pre-treatment soaking time was studied. Soaked seeds of cv. China-45 were treated with 5 × 10 −4M, 10 −3M and 2 × 10 −3M azide concentrations in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 3. In the soaking experiment the duration of soaking varied from 4 to 60 hr and the seeds were treated with 10 −3M azide solution. Mutation frequency as well as the biological damage showed a linear response to the increase in the concentration of azide. Azide induced maximum mutations in rice seeds pre-soaked in water for 4–12 hr; mutation frequency gradually declined, however, with further increase in the duration of soaking. Long soaking periods adversely affected the azide mutagenecity in rice.