Mutagenic Effects of Sodium Azide on Capsicum anuum L.

Abstract

Dry seeds from pure lines of three varieties of pepper (Capsicum anuum L.) were treated for 2 hours at 30ÉC with solutions of 0.12, 0.25, 0.50 and O.75 mM sodium azide in phosphate buffer at pH 3. Data in the M₁ show a decrease in germination percentage, height at different stages of growth, number of leaves and seed set. Germination percentage and seed set were reduced significantly. Chlorophyll-deficient seedlings were observed in the M₂. The most frequent chlorophyll mutations were the viridis type followed by chlorina, xantha and albina. Very few xantha and albina mutants were observed.