Increased yield performance of mutation induced Soybean genotypes at varied agro-ecological conditions

In soybean breeding program, continuous selection pressure on traits response to yield created a genetic bottleneck for improvements of soybean through hybridization breeding technique. Therefore an initiative was taken to developed high yielding soybean variety applying mutation breeding techniques at Plant Breeding Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA), Bangladesh. Locally available popular cultivar BARI Soybean-5 was used as a parent material and subjected to five different doses of Gamma ray using Co60. In respect to seed yield and yield attributing characters, twelve true breed mutants were selected from M4 generation. High values of heritability and genetic advance with high genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) for plant height, branch number and pod number were considered as favorable attributes for soybean improvement that ensure expected yield. The mutant SBM-18 obtained from 250Gy provided stable yield performance at diversified environments. It provided maximum seed yield of 3056 kg ha-1 with highest number of pods plant-1 (56). The National Seed Board of Bangladesh (NSB) eventually approved SBM-18 and registered it as a new soybean variety named ‘Binasoybean-5’ for large-scale planting because of its superior stability in various agro-ecological zones and consistent yield performance.

​Binasoybean-6: A High Yielding Mutant Soybean Variety Developed through Sustainable Mutation Breeding

Background: Soybean is an important source of food, protein and oil and hence more research is essential to increase its yield under different agro-ecological conditions, including stress. In this regard, four popular soybean varieties viz. Shohag, BDS-4, BAU-S/64 and BARI Soybean-5 were irradiated using Co60 gamma rays to create genetic variation for earliness, higher seed yield and other desirable agronomic traits. Methods: The experiments were conducted at Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) Headquarters farm, Mymensingh during 2006-2009 and 28 elite mutant lines were selected for evaluation. The mutant line, SBM-22 derived from mother variety BARI Soybean-5 irradiated with 300Gy of gamma rays was found to be superior compared to other mutants. Considering the superior performance of mutant SBM-22 including 28 mutants and mother check variety BARI Soybean-5, were evaluated through different trials. The evaluation trials were conducted at different agro-ecological zones of the country during Rabi season (January to April) of 2010-2018. Result: Significant variations were observed both in individual location and over locations for all traits. Reactions to major diseases and insect-pests infestation were also studied. Due to better performance of the mutant SBM-22, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) applied to the National Seed Board (NSB) of Bangladesh for registration as an important soybean variety “Binasoybean-6”. Consequently, the NSB of Bangladesh registered SBM-22 as an improved soybean variety in 2019 as Binasoybean-6 for commercial cultivation.

Smallholders Perception on Mutation Breeding's Muna Teak Demonstration Plot in Cariu Private Forest

Teak wood is the superior wood for carpentry, and the need for carpentry continues to increase in Indonesia. It has prompted various efforts to increase teak production, both in state forests and non-state forests. One of the efforts to increase teak production is using advanced science and technology, superior teak seedlings from mutation breeding. This study aims to describe smallholder's perception of the demonstration plot of Muna Teak from mutation breeding in the Cariu Private Forest, Bogor Regency. The research used two methods: Focused Group Discussion and semi-structured interviews by questionnaires. For the analysis, the study used the perceptual process framework) to explore the data from the two methods and present it descriptively. The result shows that smallholders had a good perception toward the mutation breeding Muna Teak demonstration plot. Smallholders can carry out intercropping (agroforestry) activities in the demonstration plot and increase their knowledge of forestry plant cultivation, especially teak. The activity provides an opportunity for smallholders to improve their welfare.

From Classical Radiation to Modern Radiation: Past, Present, and Future of Radiation Mutation Breeding

Radiation mutation breeding has been used for nearly 100 years and has successfully improved crops by increasing genetic variation. Global food production is facing a series of challenges, such as rapid population growth, environmental pollution and climate change. How to feed the world's enormous human population poses great challenges to breeders. Although advanced technologies, such as gene editing, have provided effective ways to breed varieties, by editing a single or multiple specific target genes, enhancing germplasm diversity through mutation is still indispensable in modern and classical radiation breeding because it is more likely to produce random mutations in the whole genome. In this short review, the current status of classical radiation, accelerated particle and space radiation mutation breeding is discussed, and the molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced mutation are demonstrated. This review also looks into the future development of radiation mutation breeding, hoping to deepen our understanding and provide new vitality for the further development of radiation mutation breeding.

Comparative Analysis Reveals Changes in Some Seed Properties in Amaranth Mutant Variety ‘Zobor’ (A. hypochondriacus × A. hybridus)

The aim of our long-term research program is to improve the quality and quantity of amaranth production through mutation breeding using γ-radiation. In this paper, we present the characterization of the new variety ‘Zobor’ of A. hypochondriacus × A. hybridus developed by radiation-induced mutagenesis of hybrid K-433. Multiyear phenotypic characterization of an important yield parameter (1000-seed weight) showed that the studied mutant variety ‘Zobor’ has an advantage in seed weight over the nonirradiated control seeds of K-433 with predictable performance of this yield trait. ‘Zobor’ exhibited changes in seed morphometric parameters, starch particle size, and pasting properties with no change in amylose content and swelling power. Moreover, the seeds of ‘Zobor’ showed the significantly highest folate content among selected amaranth varieties. The mutant variety could, therefore, be interesting for the development of functional foods and as a low-management crop, attractive for cultivation in Europe.

The integration of social forestry, science and local community in the collaborative Muna teak (Tectona grandis) development

The demand for teak wood in Indonesia reached 7 million m3, however, only 10% can be produced. One of the best teak producers in Indonesia was Muna, Southeast Sulawesi which once has a golden period but now experiencing degradation and losing genetic resources. How to restore Muna teak and its genetic resource became the question of the research. This study uses descriptive qualitative research using data from interviews with relevant stakeholders and secondary data. The result of the study shows that the issuance of Business Permit for the Utilization of Timber Forest Product-in Community Forest for three Forest Farmer’s Cooperatives in 2017 on the area of 1,817 hectares through the Social Forestry scheme has made a positive contribution to the restoration of Muna teak forest. The management of the three cooperatives in partnership with a private company, and the government’s financial support by initiating a tissue culture laboratory and genetic engineering as an effort to propagate the Muna teak using mutation breeding techniques to obtain superior clones. Through multi parties, involvement, and support, the integration of government policies and science, in synergy with individual effort and local community movement, effort indicates a hope to restore Muna teak.

Adaptation test and selection of numbu mutant sweet sorghum lines for character improvement of numbu variety

Sweet sorghum is a potential crop of agro-industry for food, feed and bioenergy. The availability of sweet sorghum varieties in Indonesia is still limited. One of the varieties that have a great demand is Numbu. Numbu has a large seed size, attractive color and contains juice in the stem, however it is still has weaken on small stems and low and unstable brix juice content. The efforts to assemble new superior varieties can be achieved through mutation breeding activities. Mutant lines produced from irradiation of Numbu varieties are expected to experience better character improvements than Numbu varieties. This study aims to find out the character improvements that occur in Numbu mutant lines which are tested in several different locations and to select potential Numbu mutant lines to be released as new superior sweet sorghum varieties. The research was conducted in five environments using 10 Numbu mutant lines and arranged into randomize block design with 3 replications. The results showed that the environment, genetic and interaction of genetic x environment had a significant effect for all observed, while the interaction of genetic x environments value for all observed characters have high variation depend on environment and environement gave the biggest contribution to variation, however generally mutant lines were have a better characters than Numbu variety There is no important characters has stability performance in various environment, but they have a good performance on specific environment. Four mutant lines those have the potential to be released as new superior varieties were MNB3, MNB5, MNB8 and MNB10.

Mutation Breeding in Ornamentals

The promising possibilities of mutation breeding in ornamental plants have led to a great interest in effective mutagenic treatment protocols for various species. This review discusses mutagenic treatments of a large number of ornamental genera, the advantages and disadvantages of various techniques, and the possibilities of improving the associated protocols. A number of nontargeted mutagenesis methods are available, ranging from chemical treatment with alkylating agents to irradiation with X-rays, gamma rays, and neutron or heavy ion beams at various doses. These are all relatively inexpensive and have been proven to be effective mutagens in a large number of diverse species. Genetic engineering, however, remains mostly impractical for many ornamental breeding operations because of the high cost and lack of knowledge necessary to successfully transform and regenerate ornamental crops. Of the available nontargeted mutagens, irradiation with gamma rays is still the most popular. It provides high consistency compared with chemical mutagens, albeit at a seemingly lower mutagenic efficiency. Changes in the radiation dose rate may increase the efficiency, although chronic irradiation over a longer period causes fewer deleterious mutations than the commonly used acute irradiation protocols. Heavy ion beam irradiation may also provide highly consistent mutation induction at higher efficiencies because of the high particle energy associated with these treatments. There are also opportunities to improve chemical mutagenesis. Although the required knowledge of specific gene functions in many ornamentals is still lacking, combination mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfontate with genetic screening in a process known as TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes) may lead to a powerful mutation breeding tool in the future. Mutation breeding is still very useful, and many opportunities are available to improve the existing methods.

Effects of Hydrogen Peroxide and Benzene Treatments on Morphological Traits of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)

A study was carried out on the effects of hydrogen peroxide and benzene treatments on morphological traits of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in Keffi. NCRIBEN-02M variety of sesame was exposed to varying concentration (100, 75, 50, 25 and 0%), of benzene, hydrogen peroxide, and the mixture of the two chemical mutagens. The M2 generation of the genotypes were assessed for plant height, number of leaves, leaves area. Benzene treatment, at all levels, have the highest plant height. The increase in number of leaves and leaf area are significant at p≤0.05 and 95% confidence. The optimum concentrations of the mutagens used for mutation in sesame, were effective at 100 and 75% of all the treatments. The most effective mutagen for inducing mutation in sesame under Keffi environment is benzene, followed by Hydrogen Peroxide. Benzene and hydrogen peroxide have proven themselves as chemical mutagens, in mutation breeding. They have unlocked several agronomic traits in sesame. Further, study on these mutagens will enhance the genetic variability in the growing of sesame for higher performance