Radiation damage and induced tetraploidy in mulberry (Morus alba L.)

Vigorously growing mulberry shoots were exposed to 5 kR of gamma rays at the rate of 0.2 kR/hr and 5.0 kR/hr and successively pruned three times in two growing seasons. The most radiosensitive part of both the apical and axillary meristems was the second cell layer. The younger axillary bud primordia were more sensitive to radiation then the older ones. Recovery from radiation damage was assumed to be from the flank meristem in the shoot apex. The frequency of mutations was much lower than that of tetraploidy. Among the tetraploids 50% were 2-4-4 chimeras. (author)