Gamma-ray mutagenic effect on adzuki bean and the optimum dose

Dry seeds of three kinds of adzuki beans (Jinhong1, Jihong9218, and Jingnong6) were irradiated by ⁶⁰Co γ-rays to 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 Gy. The radiation effects on seedlings were analyzed to estimate the optimum dose, which was 400 to 600 Gy, based on the average half lethal dose (LD₅₀) of 473.3 Gy for the three kinds of adzuki beans. The M₁ γ-ray mutagenic effects were studied by farming the three kinds of adzuki beans irradiated to 350, 500 and 650 Gy. It was found that the beans treated with higher doses had obvious inhibition on germination rate, seedling development, with significant or very significant difference compared with the CK. There was significantly negative correlation between seedling emergences, seedling height and doses. Irradiation affected mature plants by reducing plant height, decreasing nodes number of main stem, pods number per plant, seeds per pod and shortening pod length with significant. The order of radio-sensitivity to γ-rays was as follows: Jinhong1, Jihong9218, and Jingnong6. (authors)