Interaction of certain base-specific chemicals and diethylsulphate in the induction of chlorophyll mutations in Oryza sativa L.

The presoaked seeds of a rice cultivar, Tellakattera, were treated with three different concentrations of hydrazine (HZ) or hydroxylamine (HA) in combination with diethylsulphate (dES) (0.05%). In the M₁ generation more than additive effects were observed for increase in chlorophyll chimeras and decrease in seed fertility. A synergistic effect was also observed for both chlorophyll mutation and mutant frequencies, in the M₂ generation, in sequential treatments. However, the degree of synergism, based on M₂ chlorophyll mutant frequency, was greater in dES posttreatment combinations with HA or HZ, compared with dES pretreatments. These differences in reciprocal treatments may be due to more efficient fixation of premutational events by dES than HZ or HA.