Evaluation of the effects of gamma radiation on soybean (Glycine max L.)

Seeds of soybean variety Clark-63 were irradiated at doses of 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 kr respectively. Unirradiated seeds were used for comparison. The agronomic characters of soybean what were significantly affected by the treatments in the M1 generation were: seedling height (cm), plant height at maturity (cm), days to pod formation, number of pods per plant, pod length (cm) and number of seeds per pod. The chlorophyll and other mutations in M2 generation were significantly higher at lower dose. No chlorophyll mutation was noted in the control plants. Early maturity was obtained at all dose levels. Treatment of 20 kr had the highest number of this mutation. (Authors)