Using gamma rays for improving durum wheat

Seeds from two Triticum durum wheat old varieties Horani and Senator Cappelli were treated with five doses of gamma radiation 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 krads in order to induce semidwarf muntants with high yield potential. The experiments were carried out at the Research Field Station of Aleppo University between 1983 and 1989. Singles 800 M2 plants were selected on the basis of good agronomic characteristics and were planted as plant/row fashion and the selection was performed as befor until the M5 lines. These were analyzed for plant length, number of tillers, number of spikelets/spike, 100 seeds weight, and seed production per plant. Statistical analysis was performed for the studied traits. As a result, two strains: 840 and 832 descending from Horani were obtained with significantly higher seed production than their parent and were recommended for further evaluation in different locations, before being recommended for national trials to be released as new varieties. Another strain: 1048 descending from Senator Capelli was obtained. It is charactrized as being semi dwarf and could be used as a parent for transferring the short stem trait to old varieties of T. Aestivum. It is concluded that using gamma radiation along with selection was effective in improving both the productivity and the production of some semi dwarf mutants in our local varieties. 7 tabs