Generation of Mutants by Combined Treatment of Physical and Chemical Mutagens in Rice.

ABSTRACT

Mutants can be generated by physical or chemical mutagens. The procedure includes mutagenesis treatment, post-treatment, planting of M1, harvest of M1, planting of M2, phenotypic observation or mutation scanning in M2 plants. Here we describe the combined treatment of the rice seeds from the indica variety Tenuo with 137Cs gamma rays at 100 Gy and a chemical mutagen-ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Theoretically, the method can be used to study various plant biological processes which include plant gametogenesis in addition to the generation of mutants by straightforward physiological screens. As an example of the procedure, we screened for mutants resistant to imazethapyr, an herbicide which can kill grass weeds.