Improvement of chrysanthemum varieties using radiation technology

Shakinah, S.*; Zaiton, A.*; Affrida, A. H.*; 大野 豊

no journal, , 

This study was conducted in an attempt to generate variations in chrysanthemum in view of producing new flower variety through radiation technology in combination with in vitro plant propagation techniques. Two physical mutagens (acute gamma and ion beam) were used to irradiated nodal and ray florets explants of chrysanthemum "Reagan Red". Surviving plantlets that derived from ray florets and nodal explants irradiated with acute gamma and ion beams were screened in a greenhouse at Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Cameron Highlands, Pahang. Results showed that three selected new varieties of chrysanthemum namely TIARA Red, Yellow Sun, and Golden Eye were successfully produced from ion beam irradiated ray florets explants and one variety from gamma irradiated nodal explants, namely Cream Marble. All of these new varieties are being maintained at Nuclear Malaysia and have been filed for Plant Variety Protection with the Department of Agriculture Malaysia.