Mutation Breeding in Plants
Mutation Breeding in Plants Picture a world where crops could be tailored to our specific needs. Droughts? No problem, we have drought-resistant rice. Pest infestations? We've got disease-resistant tomatoes. This isn't science fiction, it's the result of a powerful breeding tool called mutation breeding . What are Mutations? Think of mutations as changes in the genetic blueprint (DNA) of an organism. These alterations can occur naturally, at a very slow rate, or be induced by external agents called mutagens . Think of mutagens as the spark that ignites variation within a plant's DNA. Mutation Breeding aka Mutagenesis Mutation breeding harnesses the power of mutagens, deliberately inducing mutations in plants. Seeds or other plant propagules are exposed to radiation (X-rays, gamma rays) or chemicals (EMS). This treatment creates a large population of plants, each with unique genetic variations. It's like creating a vast lib...