Re: [GWL]: Irradiation of Mail & Plant Fallout

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Also, the majority of mutations are things like variegated leaves and odd plant form - dwarf or twisted - which can be rogued out easily.   Once you have sorted out those, the rest should be mostly normal, and you can save seed.  
    

--My father had access to a reactor because he was with AEC (Atomic Energy Commission--now part of DOD). He taught me genetics (and breeding/seedsaving) by irradiating corn. We planted it and kept various strains going for a few years. I can't remember the percentages after all these years, but Lon is correct in that only a percentage were damaged in ways that were discernable. We got some misshapen ears, some that never really formed ears, some that were mostly wrapper leaves, and some with strangely colored kernals. We replanted the ones with the blue-black kernals and the rosy colored kernals. I'm pretty sure he started with an OP variety--he would have known enough to have done that and my mother was a nurserywoman who refused to use chemicals and who also came from a line of people who had always kept their own seeds.

 

But nonetheless, I prefer Lon's second idea: transparent wrappers--much better. That is a stroke of genius, Lon. I hope that someone in the packaging industry hears about it or is also struck with that idea. Very nice.

 

Miranda

 

 

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