INDUCTION OF MUTATIONS IN SWEETPOTATO PLANTS BY HEAVY-ION BEAM IRRADIATION

Abstract

Irradiation of in vitro sweetpotato plants with a heavy-ion beam caused various mutations in the stems and storage roots. Plants which received high irradiation with Ne-ion or C-ion beams at more than 20 Gy grew very slowly and finally stopped growing; thus, they could not be transplanted into the field. Economically important mutations, such as high yielding roots and increased number of storage roots, were observed with irradiations below 20 Gy of either type of heavy-ion beams. However, a definite trend in mutation induction at the different exposure doses was not observed.