MARIANO MARCOS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE FOOD AND SUSTAINABL

DEVELOPMENT

CRPSC 140
PLANT BREEDING METHODS

Exercise Number 4
MUTATION BREEDING

Name: CRISOSTOMO, ELVIE D. Date: ________________

I. INTRODUCTION

A mutation is a change to the nucleic acid sequence of an organism's genome,

a virus' genome, or extrachromosomal DNA. DNA or RNA can be found in viral
genomes. Errors in DNA replication, viral replication, mitosis, meiosis, or other
types of DNA damage (such as pyrimidine dimers from exposure to ultraviolet
radiation) result in mutations, which may then be repaired in error-prone ways
(especially microhomology-mediated end joining), result in errors in other types of
repair, or result in errors during replication (translesion synthesis). Additionally, due
to mobile genetic components, mutations can happen when DNA segments are
added or removed.
An organism's observable traits, or phenotype, may or may not change as a
result of a mutation. Both normal and harmful biological processes, such as
evolution, cancer, and the maturation of the immune system, including junctional
diversity, are affected by mutations. All genetic variety originates from mutation,
which also provides the basis for the action of evolutionary processes like natural
selection.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. Identify products of mutation breeding.

2. Be familiar with the causes and effects of mutation breeding
3. Determine and describe some methods of mutation breeding.

III. MATERIALS AND METHODS

 GADGET
 INTERNET
 PAPER
 PENCIL

IV. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What is mutation breeding? Why are there mutants?

 Mutation breeding, sometimes referred to as "variation breeding", is
the process of exposing seeds to chemicals, radiation, or enzymes in
order to generate mutants with desirable traits to be bred with other
cultivars. Plants created using mutagenesis are sometimes called
mutagenic plants or mutagenic seeds.
 MARIANO MARCOS STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE FOOD AND SUSTAINABL
DEVELOPMENT
 Mutation breeding uses genetic variations induced at the beginning of
the plant breeding process to quickly develop large populations of
improved crops, which can be further bred until a desired result has
been achieved.

2. When do you say that a crop is a mutant?

 One such tool is genotype screening, with which differences in the
genetic make-up (genotype) of individual plants can be determined by
examining an individual's DNA sequence using biological assays (a
type of scientific experiment), and comparing it to another individual's
sequence or a reference sequence.

3. Give at least 10 types of mutants.

 Spontaneous Mutation
The mutation which arises automatically in nature due to
subjection of the living organism to treatments of naturally
occurring agents, such as electric currents, atomic rays, and
particles, injuries, disease & insect attacks, chemicals, etc., is
called spontaneous mutation. These mutations remain arising
constantly and continuously. This type of mutation provides the
base of crop improvement by conventional breeding methods.

 Induced/ Artificial Mutation

Induced or artificial mutations are mutations at will by artificial
means. The artificially induced mutations are similar to those
produced spontaneously in nature. Since the changes made are
similar to those created by spontaneous mutation.

 Germline mutations
occur in gametes. These mutations are especially significant
because they can be transmitted to offspring and every cell in
the offspring will have the mutation.

 Somatic mutations
 occur in other cells of the body. These mutations may have little effect
on the organism because they are confined to just one cell and its
daughter cells. Somatic mutations cannot be passed on to offspring.

 Chromosomal alterations
are mutations that change chromosome structure. They occur
when a section of a chromosome breaks off and rejoins
incorrectly or does not rejoin at all

 Point mutation
is a change in a single nucleotide in DNA. This type of
mutation is usually less serious than a chromosomal alteration.

 frameshift mutation
 MARIANO MARCOS STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE FOOD AND SUSTAINABL
DEVELOPMENT
is a deletion or insertion of one or more nucleotides that
changes the reading frame of the base sequence. Deletions
remove nucleotides, and insertions add nucleotides. Consider
the following sequence of bases in RNA

4. Together with this exercise, each student should submit at least 3 pictures of
mutants (crops only).

Original breed Mutant breed

EGGPLANT

SQUASH

TOMATO

V. REFERENCES
MARIANO MARCOS STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE FOOD AND SUSTAINABL
DEVELOPMENT