Gamma radiosensitivity study on wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum)

Fifty wheat seed variety (var.) CIRNO C2008 were gamma irradiated with 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, or 600 Gy by using a Cobalt-60 source at 907.39 Gy/h, and the nonirradiated seeds were considered the control (M-0). A photoperiod of 13 h of darkness (14 degrees C) and 11 h of light (2 h at 18 degrees C, 7 h at 25 degrees C, and 2 h at 18 degrees C) was used for 30 days, in a growth chamber (BJPX-A450; BIOBASE) for quantifying the morphometric traits of the irradiated vs nonirradiated seeds. The germination percentage (from 88.89% in M-0 to 77.78% in 600 Gy) did not show significant differences among treatments; while the survival percentage (from 100% in M-0 to 6.66% in 600 Gy) and plant height (from 19.21 cm in M-0 to 1.16 cm in 600 Gy) showed negative significant (p < 0.05) difference among nonirradiated seeds (M-0) and the rest of the treatments. Finally, based on the survival percentage, the calculated lethal dose was 290.6 Gy, which will allow obtaining promising wheat mutants. Gamma irradiation is a promising alternative to obtain a greater wheat variability for advanced mutant lines.