Determining the Effective Mutation Dose in Hemp (Cannabis sativa var. sativa) Plants with Chemically Mutated

In mutation breeding, determining the effective mutation dose before mutagen application is crucial for creating effective variation. Therefore, this study was carry out to evaluate some characteristics of the M1 hemp plant created with chemical mutagens and to determine the effective mutation dose that can be used in mutation breeding studies. In the study, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) was applied to the seeds of Futura-75 and Van varieties at four different doses (0, 25, 50, and 75 mM). The study, conducted in greenhouse conditions and pots according to a split-plot experimental design in randomized blocks, consisted of 3 replications.. Before EMS application, the seeds were soaked in pure water for 14 hours and then soaked in the EMS solution for 6 hours. After EMS application, 25 seeds were sown in pots completely filled with peat for each application. In M1 plants, emergence rate (%), seedling height (cm), seedling fresh weight (g/plant), and seedling dry weight (g/plant) parameters were examined. According to the results obtained; emergence rate ranged from 21.67-85.67%, seedling height from 13.93-28.40 cm, seedling fresh weight from 1.08-2.58 g/plant, and seedling dry weight from 0.16-0.37 g/plant. Seedling height was used as a parameter to determine the effective mutation dose. Seedling height decreased with increasing mutagen dose. At this point, for both varieties, the doses that reduced seedling height by 50% compared to the control were doses above 75 mM EMS application.