Use of gamma-radiation and ethyl nitrosourea independently and in combination in experimental mutagenesis in peas. Pt. 1

Dry seeds from field peas cv. Uladovskij 303 were treated for three years with gamma rays (280 to 250 rad/min) and with the powerful chemical mutagen/carcinogen ethyl nitrosourea - ENU (solution prepared in phosphate buffer, ph=6.0). The seeds were exposed to ENU for 6 h, washed out for 30 min and dried for 30 min. The following qualitative indices were investigated: emergence; survival; sterility; lethality; vegetation period and plant's height one month after sowing. They could be used successfully to determine the injurious effects of the mutagens. A clear-cut dependence on the used dose and concentration was observed independently if the mutagens were applied separately or in combination. Quantitative indices determined at the end of the vegetation: branches per plant, sterile nodes, nodes per plant, number of pods and seeds per plant as well as plant's height did not show any clear-cut tendency when treatments were made in combination. Their determination, in field conditions, seemed to be without significance. As theoretically it was expected, pre-radiation use of ENU leads to a stronger injurious effect in comparison to that of post-radiation treatment. Concerning induced leaf-spots (leaf aberrations) in M1-generation, the results were in complete disagreement with the theory: pre-radiation treatment with ENU (at combination 3.12 mM ENU + 12 krad), which provoked a very high injury (lethality - 80-90%), showed a very little percent of plants with a high level of leaf aberrations. On the contrary, post-radiation treatment with ENU (lethality - 40-60%) caused a high level of leaf aberrations in greater number of plants. The presence of 'gamma plantlets' phenomenon is proposed for possible explanation. 3 tabs.; 9 refs