Mutation induction with ion beam irradiation of lateral buds of chrysanthemum and analysis of chimeric structure of induced mutants

Yamaguchi, Hiroyasu*; Shimizu, Akemi*; Hase, Yoshihiro; Degi, Konosuke*; Tanaka, Atsushi; Morishita, Toshikazu*

We compared the effects of ion-beam and -ray irradiation on mutation induction in axillary buds of chrysanthemum, and analyzed the chimeric structure of the resulting mutants. Axillary buds were irradiated with carbon ions (mean LET 122 keV/m), helium ions (9 keV/m), and rays. The lower five nodes of shoots elongating from the irradiated buds were cut one by one, and new shoots were allowed to grow. This procedure was repeated twice and flower color mutation was investigated. Chimeric structure was analyzed by comparing the flower color of mutants to that of plants regenerated from the roots. All the flower color mutants induced with rays were periclinal chimeras. In contrast, some mutants obtained with ion beams had the same flower color as that of the plants derived from the roots. This suggests that they were solid mutants, where both LI and LIII tissues were derived from the same mutated cell.