Radiocytogenetical studies on Capsicum. I. Meiotic anomalies.

Dormant dry seeds of an erectly oriented fruit variety of Capsicum annuum were irradiated with gamma-rays from 60Co source at 5, 10, 15 and 20 kR dose levels. The plants grown from treated and control seeds were investigated for meiotic abnormalities and pollen sterility in M1 and M2 generations. Abnormal chromosomes included stickiness, clumping, altered association, breakage, bridges, unequal segregation, laggards and abnormal microspores and their frequencies were dosedependent. Pollen sterility increased with increase in dose. The per cent frequencies of anomalies were more numerous in M1 than M2, which could be due to the operation of recovery mechanisms or elimination of damaged chromosomes in the intervening period.