Development of improved advanced mutant lines of cereal and native grains through radiation-induced mutagenesis in Peru

In Peru it is very important to increase the food production in amount and quality, especially in the rural areas where a high poverty and malnutrition problems are usually founded. Mutation induction method is used to improve well adapted cultivars, thru the upgraded in one or two changed characteristics, retaining all its original attributes. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), accession LM 89, was treated with gamma rays at the doses 150 and 250 Gray. In M₂ and following generations mutation in morphological traits were observed and 8 mutant lines were selected among them MQLM89-149 with higher yield equal to 4258.6 Kg/ha, surpassing the witness at 205.63% and MQLM89-42 with 14.7 of grain protein, superior to the parent material with 12.3%. Kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus) CICA- UNASAC cultivar was irradiated with gamma ray (400 and 600 Gray). Mutations of morphological and physiological characteristics were identified and nine mutant lines with 27 to 50% better yield potential than the parent material were selected. In barley (Hordeum vulgare) mutant lines were developed from the cultivar UNALM 96, through the application of gamma rays at a dose of 200 and 300 Gray. Mutant lines were selected a M₈ generation with higher agronomic performance and nutritive quality adapted to the highland with grain yield within the range of 5100 - 8731 kg/ha, over the value of the parent material with of 4246 kg/ha and had improvement in the content of P-131 mg/g DW, Zn66 mg/g DW, Mn55 mg/g DW, Fe57 mg/g DW and Cu63 ug/g DW. (Author)