Table Of ContentDevelopments in Crop Science
Volume 1 Oil Palm Research, edited by R.H.V. Corley, J.J. Hardon and B.J. Wood
Volume 2 Application of Mutation Breeding Methods in the Improvement of
Vegetatively Propagated Crops, by C. Broertjes and A.M. van Harten
Volume 3 Wheat Studies, by H. Kihara
Volume 4 The Biology and Control of Weeds in Sugarcane, by S. Y. Peng
Volume 5 Plant Tissue Culture: Theory and Practice, by S.S. Bhojwani and M.K.
Razdan
Volume 6 Trace Elements in Plants, by M.Ya. Shkolnik
Volume 7 Biology of Rice, edited by S. Tsunoda and N. Takahashi
Volume 8 Processes and Control of Plant Senescence, by Y.Y. Leshem, A.H. Halevy
and Ch. Frenkel
Volume 9 Taigu Genetic Male-Sterile Wheat, by Deng Ying Yang
Volume 10 Cultivating Edible Fungi, edited by PJ. Wuest, D.J. Royse and R.B.
Beelman
Volume 11 Sucarcane Improvement through Breeding, edited by DJ. Heinz
Volume 12 Applied Mutation Breeding for Vegetatively Propagated Crops, by C.
Broertjes and A.M. van Harten
Developments in Crop Science 12
Applied
Mutation Breeding
forVegetatively
Propagated Crops
CBroerfles
Research Institute ITAL, Wageningen, The Netherlands
(Present address: Eykmanstraat 11, 6706 JT Wageningen, The Netherlands)
A.M.van Harten
Department of Plant Breeding (IvP), Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
ELSEVIER
Amsterdam — Oxford — New York — Tokyo 1988
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Broertjes, C.
Applied mutation breeding for vegetatively propagated crops / C.
Broertjes, A.M. van Harten.
p. cm. — (Developments in crop science ; 12)
Rev. ed. of: Application of mutation breeding methods in the
improvement of vegetatively propagated crops. 1978.
Includes bibliographies and indexes.
ISBN 0-444-42786-4 (U.S.)
1. Plant mutation breeding. 2. Plant propagation. 3. Plant
mutation breeding—Bibliography. 4. Plant propagation-
-Bib1îography. I. Harten, A. M. van. II. Broertjes, C.
Application of nutation breeding methods in the improvement of
vegetaiively p-opagsted crops. III. Title. IV. Title·. Vegetatively
prcgagatec crocs. V. Series.
SB123.B697 1986
63'.5'23--cc19 88-3756
C:P
ISBN 0-444-42786-4 (Vol. 12)
ISBN 0-444-41617-X (Series)
© Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., 1988
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X
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Commercial mutants of various vegetatively propagated crops 4
Table 2. Production value of horticultural and agricultural products in The
Netherlands, 1986 6
Table 3. Number of adventitious plantlets produced on detached leaves of
two Kalanchoë cultivars 48
Table 4. Number of adventitious bulblets produced on detached leaves and
leaf parts of Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq., 4 months after
detachment of leaves 48
Table 5. The commercial mutant of potato 73
Table 6. Commercial mutants of Dahlia 91
Table 7. The commercial mutant of Gladiolus 96
Table 8. Commercial mutants of Lilium 101
Table 9. Commercial mutants of Polyanthes 108
Table 10. Commercial mutants of the tulip 112
Table 11. Commercial mutants of Begonia 117
Table 12. Commercial mutants of Bougainvillea 122
Table 13. The commercial mutant of Guzmania 123
Table 14. The commercial mutant of Calathea 125
Table 15. The commercial mutant of African violet {Saintpaulia ionantha) 132
Table 16. Commercial mutants of Streptocarpus 136
Table 17. Commercial mutants of Achimenes 141
Table 18. Commercial mutants of Hoya carnosa 145
Table 19. Commercial mutants of Kalanchoë 148
Table 20a. Commercial mutants of Rhododendron simsii (syn. Azalea in-
dica) 155
Table 20b. The commercial mutant of Rhododendron obtusum (Japanese
azalea) 156
Table 21. Commercial mutants of Ficus benjamina exotica 162
Table 22. Commercial mutants of Alstroemeria 166
Table 23. Commercial mutants of carnation 173
Table 24. Commercial mutants of Chrysanthemum 178
Table 24a. Commercial mutants of outdoor-grown pot Chrysanthemum .. 189
Table 25. The commercial mutant of Euphorbia fulgens 194
Table 26. Commercial mutants of roses 200
Table 27. Commercial mutants of Portulaca 209
Table 28. The commercial mutant of Abelia grandiflora 211
Table 29. Commercial mutants of Forsythia 212
Table 30. The commercial mutant of ornamental Malus 213
Table 31. Commercial mutants of Weigela 214
Table 32. The commercial mutant of Populus 219
xi
Table 33. The commercial mutant of mulberry {Moms) 226
Table 34. Commercial mutants of apple 237
Table 35. The commercial mutant of apricot 248
Table 36. Frequency of vM2 mutated shoots in cherry with reference to their
origin from the buds along the vMl shoots 251
Table 37. Commercial mutants of cherry 252
Table 38. The commercial mutant of olive 257
Table 39. Spontaneous bud mutations isolated in peaches 259
Table 40. Commercial mutants of peach 260
Table 41. Commercial mutants of fig and pomegranate 263
Table 42. Commercial mutants of black currant 271
Table 43. Commercial mutants of Citrus species 282
Table 44. The commercial mutant of papaya 288
Table 45. Commercial mutants of Mentha species 290
Table 46. Commercial mutants of Chinese mat grass (Cyperus malaccensis)
and mat rush (Juncus decipiens) 294
Table 47. Commercial mutants of sugarcane 302
Table 48. Commercial mutants of grasses 310
Xll
LIST OF COLOUR PLATES
(Plates between pages 114 and 115)
Plate 1. A mutation is a one-cell-event {Dahlia).
By cutting back, complete, stable periclinal chimeras (sports) can be ob-
tained (Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Hortensien Rose)
Plate 2. Adventitious plantlets developing on detached leaves of Saintpaulia ionan-
tha cv. Utrecht
Plate 3. The in vivo single-eye vegetative propagation technique in potato, Solanum
tuber osum.
An in vitro adventitious bud technique
Plate 4. Radiation-induced commercial mutants of the tulip cultivar Lustige Witwe
Plate 5. A radiation-induced commercial mutant of Alstroemeria cv. Rosario
Plate 6. Radiation-induced commercial mutants of two recent Chrysanthemum
cultivars
Plate 7. Radiation-induced commercial mutants of Weigela and Forsythia
Plate 8. Commercial mutants of apples
Xlll
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1. X-ray beam pointing down to pot plants on a turntable 18
Fig. 2. Irradiation of rooted cuttings of Chrysanthemum by γ-rays .... 19
Fig. 3. General scheme for the development of radiation damage in cells 20
Fig. 4. Shoot apex showing the three histogenic layers and cyto-histologi-
cal zonation 31
Fig. 5. Shoot apex of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) 32
Fig. 6. Shoot apex organization according to Buvat 33
Fig. 7. Chimerism in shoots as observed at some distance from the apical
region 36
Fig. 8. Dose response of different radiation-induced histogenetic effects
(reduplication and perforation) in Pelargonium zonale 39
Fig. 9. Location types of adventitious bud formation on detached leaves 47
Fig. 10. Uses of in vitro methods in plant breeding 56
Fig. 11 A. Tuber of Dahlia in spring with well-developed buds (shoots) ... 90
Fig. 1 IB. Tuber of Dahlia immediately after lifting in autumn (buds invisible
or even absent) 90
Fig. 12. View of the basal part of a hyacinth bulb which has developed
adventitious bulblets after wounding and storing under the proper
conditions 99
Fig. 13A. Bulb scale of Lilium with rooting adventitious bulblets 102
Fig. 13B. Well-developed and rooted bulblets on a bulb scale of Lilium .. 102
Fig. 14. Leaf segments of Muscari, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after detaching (from
left to right). Adventitious bulblets develop, root and grow quickly 105
Fig. 15A. Leaf of Ornithogalum thyrsoides with adventitious bulblets .... 107
Fig. 15B. Leaf segment of a variegated radiation-induced mutant of Or-
nithogalum thyrsoi'des with well-developed rooted and growing ad-
ventitious bulblets, approximately 5 weeks after detaching 107
Fig. 16. Vegetative propagation of Saintpaulia ionantha by adventitious
bud formation on detached leaves 130
Fig. 17. Vegetative propagation of Streptocarpus by adventitious buds
developing on half leaves 135
Fig. 18. Achimenes cv. Paul Arnold and one of the radiation-induced com-
pact growing mutants, cv. Cupido 140
Fig. 19. Rooted leaves of Kalanchoë with adventitious plantlets developing
on the basal part of the petiole and on callus formed at the base 147
Fig. 20. Leaves of Peperomia obtusifolia variegata, a yellow-green varie-
gated cultivar. The adventitious plantlets growing on detached
leaves are either completely green or almost completely yellow . 152
Fig. 21. Actively growing rhizomes of a young Alstroemeria plant with buds
in various stages of development 168
xiv
Fig. 22. Vegetative propagation of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ram. cv.
Super Yellow in vitro 186
Fig. 23. Adventitious plantlets growing from callus on split branches or on
wounded, rooted cuttings of Populus 220
Fig. 24. Schematic presentation of irradiated scions and primary and
secondary buds, shoots and leaves in apple 235
Fig. 25. The multiplication system and the time scale of the mutation
breeding programmes for apples at Long Ashton Research Station,
Bristol 238
Fig. 26. Methodology scheme used for isolation of mutations in cherries 250
Fig. 27. Methodology scheme used for isolation of mutations in olive trees 256
Fig. 28. Methodology scheme used for isolation of somatic mutations in
grapevine 274
1
PREFACE
In 1978 the first edition of our book ' 'Application of Mutation Breeding Methods
in the Improvement of Vegetatively Propagated Crops" appeared. It found general
acceptance. Most readers and reviewers especially valued the extensive coverage of
the literature in the chapters dealing with the different crops. This is also reflected
by the many times that our work has been referred to in other publications.
When early in 1985 the first edition of the book became practically sold out, it
was considered whether a second edition would be worthwhile and, if so, what
changes should be made. It was agreed with the publishers that in the first place the
book should be updated for crops by adding new and relevant references and by cor-
recting apparent omissions and mistakes. We should like to acknowledge here the
contribution of several users of this book. In addition, as some readers suggested,
the introductory chapters have been extended and some sections rewritten entirely.
A point of discussion was whether new literature on in vitro propagation should
be incorporated. At the time of the first edition this field was relatively new for most
(mutation) breeders, but now we feel that the topic of in vitro techniques is ade-
quately covered in many easily accessible publications. As a consequence we have
decided not to try and cover the whole field.
We expect that, like its predecessor, this new edition will be a useful source of
reference for practical mutation breeding in vegetatively propagated crops for a
number of years. It seems likely that the number of new publications on mutation
breeding in the near future will be very limited. The mutation method seems well
established by now, and its possibilities as well as limitations are sufficiently known.
We further presume that within this field no major changes in approach will occur
in the immediate future.
In the years that immediately followed the appearance of the first edition of our
book, there was still a considerable increase in the literature on mutation breeding.
It appears to us that this situation is changing (with the possible exception of con-
tributions from Eastern Europe). This may be explained in various ways. First of
all, mutation work has become a matter of routine, for instance in breeding of or-
namentals, and is no longer mentioned explicitly as such. Secondly, much work that
was indicated in the past as mutation research, is called now "biotechnology" or
"genetic manipulation", even though the methods applied remain largely un-
changed. An example of this is the study of somaclonal variation and the irradiation
of in vitro plant material for induction of mutations. The present interest in
"biotechnology" and the observation that funds are withdrawn from mutation
work in favour of such methods, has led to a decline in the number of mutation
breeding research projects.
A positive development is the extension of the number of crops for which
breeders' rights can be obtained, as is the case with ornamentals in The Netherlands.
2
This situation stimulates practical breeding, including the application of mutation
breeding.
The literature in this book covers most of the important books and articles as well
as congress proceedings which have been published in languages accessible to us.
Most of them have been read by us, but some could not be obtained. Articles in
Chinese, Russian, Japanese and other unaccessible languages (to us and many of
our readers) in general are not included in the literature reviews. Most articles with
short English summaries only have also been excluded, because in the majority of
cases such articles do not contribute much to our knowledge of treatments and prac-
tical significance of the results obtained. Moreover, important data from such
research articles are generally also published in the proceedings of international
meetings and the like, in languages more accessible to us.
Another point concerns the nomenclature that is used by us for plants. Although
strictly speaking not quite correct, most plant species have been indicated by their
generic names only, as is the common practice in, for instance, the world of growers
of ornamental plants and in many publications concerning mutation breeding.
Finally, we hope that this edition appears at the right moment and will be as well
received as was the first.
C. BROERTJES and A.M. VAN HARTEN
Wageningen, The Netherlands
