Methodology for radiation-induced mutations in main lateral buds in Prunus avium L. cv. Bing

Abstract

Dormant scions of sweet cherry cv. Bing were exposed to acute or fractionated doses of 4–12 kR gamma rays, in air or in water. Leaf and growth-reduced mutants of M1V2 trees were identified. Among 2 942 M1V2 trees (including all treatments), the overall mutation frequency was 7.3%, i.e. 0.34% growth-reduced mutants, 2.3% total leaf mutants and 4.7% partial leaf mutants. The height/ diameter/number of nodes (H/D/N) ratios of all the M1V2 growth-reduced mutants and eight of the M1V3 were 2 standard deviations below that of control plants. The mutation frequencies for irradiation in air and for fractionated doses were respectively not significantly higher than those for irradiation in water and for acute doses. For efficient recovery of growth-reduced mutants, we recommend propagating only the upper buds of M1V1 shoots of sweet cherry.

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