Inheritance and characterization of two low linolenic acid EMS-induced McGregor mutant flax (Linum usitatissimum)

Mutagens [e.g. EMS (ethyl methane sulphonate)] are sometimes used to generate variability in oil crops when variability is lacking in natural populations, or when strong interspecific crossing barriers prevent hybridization with relatives. It is imperative to conduct genetic studies on beneficial mutants before they can be effectively used in a breeding program. This study was conducted to study the inheritance, and characterize two ''apparent'' low linolenic acid EMS-induced McGregor flax mutants (E1929, and E1536) that appeared to be quite different from E1747, a linolenic acid deficient McGregor flax mutant which has been extensively studied. Diallele crosses involving 1) E1929, E1536, and McGregor, and 2) E1929, E1536, and E1747 were made. Gas chromatography analyses of fatty acids from seed oil of F-1 and F-2 populations indicated that E1929 resulted from a reduction in Delta 15 desaturase activity, and that the control of the trait is by a single recessive gene. The E1929 gene appears to be allelic to one of the two genes possessed by E1747. E1929 was characterized as a ''moderately low linolenic-high oleic acid mutant''. E1536 could not be characterized with the available data.