Abstract:

To create good germplasm resources of sweet sorghum, improve the male parent characters with high combining ability, and lay a foundation for genetic breeding, ethyl methyl sulfonate (EMS) was used to mutate sweet sorghum restorer line Tian C-1, and the excellent mutants were screened and identified from M2 generation for further genetic breeding. The results show that leaf color mutations mainly occur in M1 generation, and most of them cannot be inherited. The mutations found in M1 generation could be found in M2 generation after single spike harvest. The mutant types found in the field identification of M2 generation mainly include albino mutation and yellowing mutation of leaf color, spindle mutation of spike type, 1/2 and 3/4 glume coat variation, glume color mutation into dark and brown, grain enlargement, grain color mutation into white, awn disappearance, and shortened whole growth period. EMS mutagenesis could improve existing excellent male parent properties, accelerate the breeding of hybrid, and the large number of mutants found in field could have positive significance in genome mining and genetic breeding of sweet sorghum.

Key words: sweet sorghum, EMS mutation, leaf mutation, spike mutation, growth period