Radiation induced mutations for plant selection

The successful use of plant breeding for improving crops requires the existence of genetic variation of useful traits. Unfortunately, the desired variation is often lacking. However, radiation can be used to induce mutations and thereby generate genetic variation from which desired mutants may be selected. Mutation induction has become a proven way of creating variation within a crop variety. It offers the possibility of inducing desired attributes that either cannot be expressed in nature or have been lost during evolution. More than 1700 mutant cultivars of crop plants with significantly improved attributes such as increased yield, improved quality, disease and stress resistance, have been released worldwide in the last 30 yr. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture has contributed to these achievements through the promotion of research and development in mutation breeding techniques using nuclear and related biotechnological methods. Nuclear technology in plant breeding is then transferred to Member States of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations through training in mutation breeding methods and the provision of technical advice. Moreover, radiation treatment services are provided to foster applications of nuclear techniques in crop improvement programmes of Member States and more specifically to render direct support to plant breeders by efficient generation of mutations. Plant materials are standardized prior to radiation exposure (usually at ±5% precision in absorbed dose) to warrant reproducibility of the induced effects within practical limits and a radiosensitivity test is implemented to affirm useful doses for applied objectives of a request.