Ensuring global food security depends substantially on plant breeding. Mutation breeding, one of several plant breeding techniques, has improved crops significantly and considerably more quickly than traditional breeding. Mutation breeding techniques especially gamma and other physical mutagens have helped in generating a large number of mutants and generated a massive quantity of genetic variability that is significantly employed in plant breeding, genetics and genomics. Mutation induction may be the only non-GM mechanism for introducing a new characteristic if the desired gene is absent from the germplasm and the only straightforward method to improve seedless crops and cultivars. Many potent physical and chemical mutagens have been identified and developed since the initial reports of induced mutagenesis using x-rays were published, and techniques for applying them in seed and vegetatively propagated crops have been devised. Because of significant developments in plant molecular biology and biotechnology, particularly in the field of plant genomics, we are currently witnessing new impulses in plant mutation research, ranging from basic studies of mutagenesis to reverse genetics. This chapter offers a thorough analysis of what is now known about the various mutagenic agents, mutation breeding techniques, and effects they have on varietal development.
Mutation, Crop breeding, Mutagenesis, Genetic variation
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