Effects of Gamma-ray and Chemical Mutagens on the Germination and Seedling Growth in Stevia rebaudiana Bert.

감마선 및 화학적 돌연변이원 처리가 스테비아 (Stevia rebaudiana Bert.)의 종자 발아 및 초기 생장에 미치는 영향

This study was carried out to develop the improved useful mutants for yield or composition of stevia plants using the gamma ray or chemical mutagens treatments. The seeds of stevia 'Suwon No. 11' were irradiated up to 400 Gy of gamma ray. Chemical mutagens were treated on the seeds of the 'Suwon No. 11' using 0.07% colchicine, 10 mM sodium azide, or 10 mM NMU for various durations. The germination rate, and shoot and root growth of seedling were estimated at 30 days after gamma ray irradiation or chemical mutagen treatment, and the plant height, the number of branches, and leaf length and width were examined at 3 months after mutagenesis treatments. In the case of gamma ray treatments, the germination rate and early-stage growth were decreased as the increase of radiation dose, and the 50% lethal dose was found to be 200 Gy. the plant height was decreased as the increase of radiation dose, while the number of branches per plant and leaf length were increased. Leaf shape was modified to the relatively longer one compared to the control, which was identified more apparently at the treatments of higher than 150 Gy. In the treatment of chemical mutagens, the rate of germination and survival were decreased as the increase of incubation time. The 50% lethal dose for germination rate were identified as the conditions of the 15 hours incubation in 0.07% colchicine, the 4 hrs in 10 mM sodium azide, and the 2 hrs in 10 mM NMU, in the three chemical mutagens treatments. Chemical mutagens had no influence on shoot growth, while root growth was increased, especially as the incubation time was extended. The highest root growth occurred in the NMU treatment at 6 hrs incubation time. The plant height was decreased as the increase of incubation time in the chemical mutagens treatments. Among the chemical mutagens, NMU was the most effective to induce the mutants with long-shaped or the least lobed leaves.