X-Ray Mutagenic Effect On Germination And Growth Of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa Hochst ex A. Rich):- Igwe, Okwudili .A.

ABSTRACT

This research work was aimed at investigating the dosimetry of X-ray doses on two African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa Hochst ex A. Rich) accessions (Ikwuano and Akara), effects on different x-ray doses on the growth parameters. Seeds of the African yam bean accessions were arranged into six groups each into a brown envelope paper containing 25 seeds each. The first group served as the control where as the other groups were bombarded with different x-ray doses (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 MGy) respectively. The results ofthe dosimetry test showed that 8MGy recorded the optimum plant height curve on Akara while in Ikwuano, the optimum curve was 2 MGy. From the dosimetry test results, two dose ranges were chosen for further investigation. The effects of irradiation doses showed a significant increase in the number of leaves, plant height, leaf area, stem girth, number of branches, plant height and germination percentage of 2 MGy and 8 MGy ofIkwuano accession and 6 MGy and 8 MGy of Akara accession as compared with the control which recorded the lowest growth parameters. Among the doses, 2 MGy and 8 MGy respectively gave the highest effects. The present work has shown that irradiating African yam bean with X-ray were effective in improving the plant growth.