1Department of Floriculture and Landscaping, ASPEE College of Horticulture and Forestry Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari-396 450 (Gujarat)
* Present address: All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Arid Zone Fruits Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri - 413 722, district-Ahmadnagar (Maharashtra)
Online published on 22 December, 2011.
Corms of three cultivars of gladiolus (Gladiolus hybrida L.) were exposed to seven doses of gamma radiations from 1 kR to 7 kR for induction of genetic variability. Most of characters were stimulated till 3 kR treatment but started to reduce at higher doses whereas treatment of 2 kR proved better over all treatments including control. The doses of 6 kR and 7 kR proved injurious as the number of florets and length of spike reduced drastically in cv. American Beauty while plants remained blind in cvs. Nova Lux and Eurovision. Colour variation in florets and whole spike, increase and decrease in the number of floral organs and their fasciations and spike bifurcation were also observed from 4 kR to 7 kR treatments in all varieties. Three desirable colour mutants were obtained from three varieties and one mutant with bifurcated spike, having all similar characters as original except doubled number of florets. Treatments of 5 kR and 6 kR were observed to be good for induction of mutants and a total of four mutants were isolated in vM2 generation.
Gamma rays, gladiolus, mutation, mutant
