Heavy-ion-induced mutants in sweet pepper isolated by M sub(1) plant selection

We examined the effects of heavy-ion bombardment on mutagenesis in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Dose-response studies indicated that 10 Gy irradiation of super(12)C or super(20)Ne ions on dry seeds is suitable for inducing mutations in plants. From super(20)Ne-irradiated M sub(1) plants, putative mutants included two dwarf plants and one plant whose pericarp was yellow were isolated. Phenotypes of their M sub(2) progeny were similar to those of the M sub(1) plants and did not segregate. F sub(1) plants resulting from reciprocal crosses between the mutants and wild-type plants showed the wild-type phenotype, but phenotypes of F sub(2) and BC sub(1)F sub(1) segregated at 1:3 (mutant:wild) and 1:1, respectively. These crossing experiments indicate that the three mutants have monogenic recessive mutations in nuclear genes. In light of these data, we discuss the effectiveness of using heavy-ion bombardment to mutate sweet peppers.