Effect of gamma rays on yield , fiber and seed characteristics of flax

The present investigation deals with effect of radiation on flex in two main experiments . In the first one which could be considered as a pilot experiment, the seeds of giza-4 (the dominating local variety of flax) were irradiated with gamma ray doses ranging from 2.5 to 200 Kr to find out the suitable doses for a long - term program of mutation breeding in flax. The finding of such preliminary program could be summarized in the following: a) A dose of 100 kr affected the germination rate and inhibited the growth of flax plants. b) A dose of 200 kr was shown to be a lethal one under the conditions of this experiment. c) Some deviations in plant and yield characteristics than the normal type ( i . e., plant and yield characteristics of Gaza 4) were observed at relatively low doses. These deviations were tested in the M2 generation . True mutations (i.e., deviations that proved to breed true) were selected and their seeds (M2- derived lines were tested in M3 generation). Data about these M2 -derived lines when tested in the M3 generation will be summarized with the data of the main experiment