Evaluation of informativeness of mutation groups of Nigella damascena L. M2 generation

Purpose. To carry out a mathematical and statistical evaluation of the mutagenesis data of the M2 generation of Nigella damascena varieties ‘Berehynia’ and ‘Charivnytsia’ in order to identify relationships between groups of mutations and mathematical justification of their use in the process of further analysis and selection of hereditary changes of mutant plants. Methods. Seeds of the varieties ‘Berehynia’ and ‘Charivnytsia’ were treated with chemical mutagens. The mutations identified by visual observation of the plants at different stages of their growth and development were divided into eight groups. In each group of each treatment option, the frequency of mutations was calculated as a function of the type of mutagen, its concentration and exposure time. The mathematical and statistical evaluation of the results was carried out using the MS Excel analysis package and Spearman’s rank correlation. Results. The mutational difference in the M2 generation between eight groups of Nigella damascena varieties ‘Berehynia’ and ‘Charivnytsia’ under the influence of the mutagens ethyl methanesulfonate, nitrosomethylurea and the new chemical mutagen DG-2 (a complex of 3-N,N-dimethylamino sulfonane with dimethyl) was identified and evaluated. It was found that the correlation value of the mutagenic effects ranged from 0.437 to 0.752 with significance levels from 3.540 ´ 10–5 to 0.037. The following groups of mutations can be considered informative: stem, shoot and leaf structures; flower structure; colour of the corolla petals; structure of the capsule; physio­logical changes in the process of growth and development.                Conclusions. The effect of the mutagens EMS, NMU in concentrations of 0.01 and 0.05% and DG-2 in concentrations of 0.5 and 0.05% was determined on Nigella damascena varieties ‘Berehynia’ and ‘Charivnytsia’ after exposure for 6 and 16 hours. Mutations in the structure of the stem, shoots and leaves, the colour of the petals of the corolla, the structure of the flower and capsule, and those causing a violation of chlorophyll synthesis should be considered informative.