Development of improved varieties of native grains through radiation-induced mutagenesis

Gomez-Pando L. · Mutagenesis: Exploring Novel Genes and Pathways (2023) · DOI: 10.3920/978-90-8686-787-5_4

Resumen

Some of the problems faced by mankind today, such as climate change, overdependence on very few species for the world food supply(wheat, corn, rice, potatoes), undernourishment and even scarcity of fuel could be solved in part with the rational and sustainable use and improvement of native crops which up until now have remained underutilized. Such crops include the highly nutritious quinoa(Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and kiwicha(Amaranthus caudatus Linn.), domesticated by ancient South American cultures. This chapter provides an overview of mutation induction applied to the development of improved cultivars of quinoa and amaranth, the process starts with good local native land races that are rapidly improved in one or a few traits by mutagenesis while conserving the valuable combination of genes achieved over thousands of years of natural and man-induced selection. © Wageningenn Academic Publishers The Netherlands, 2014. All rights are reserved.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina