Radiation induced crinkled leaves in jute

Crinkled leaf chimeras appeared regularly, as phenocopies, in the X₁ and P₁ generations of three varieties ofCorchorus olitorius L. The S₁ populations were devoid of this abnormality. These plants were also characterized by late flowering and reduction in the number of flowers per plant. The frequency of crinkled leaf chimeras increased with increase in dosages of X-rays and³²P beta rays. Inheritance studies revealed no immediate genetic background of these abnormal plants. However, mutations showing crinkled leaves were isolated in some X₃ and P₂ lines and their segregation in later generations was found to be disturbed. Chromosomal abnormalities during meiosis were considered as one of the factors responsible for the disturbed segregation. Crinkled leaf mutations also showed variable manifestation of the mutant characteristic in different years.