Improvement of seed yield in Vicia faba L. by using experimental mutagenesis. II: Comparison of gamma-radiation and ethyl-methane-sulphonate (EMS) in production of morphological mutants

Gamma-rays and EMS have been used in two dosages to test their effectiveness in inducing mutations in one major (cv. Aguadulce) and one minor (cv. Manfredini) Vicia faba cultivar. The plants of the M1 and M2 generations showed reduced emergence, survival, and fertility. EMS was more effective than gammarays in inducing mutations giving a mutation frequency in M1 and a frequency of M2 mutants from two to four times higher. The two mutagenic agents do not seem to differ in mutation spectrum. The minor cv. Manfredini was more sensitive to the lower dosage of gamma-rays than the major cv. Aguadulce. Both mutagens proved to be effective in enlarging the morphological variation of both cultivars.