Molecular characterization of Agave tequilana mutants induced with gamma radiation Co60 and its effect in the fructooligosaccharides acumulation

Abstract

The genetic variability in Agave tequilana is limited due to the clonal way of field reproduction. In the present work, mutations were induced in micropropagated Agave tequilana plants in vitro by means of indirect embryogenesis using ionizing radiation with gamma Co⁶⁰ rays at doses of 10 Gy, 15 Gy, 20 Gy, and 25 Gy; the regenerated plantlets were treated again at 10 Gy and 20 Gy to obtain simple and double irradiated clonal populations. Genetic variability of the irradiated populations was evidenced by Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers by grouping them in accordance to their radiation dose. Single and double mutants at 20 Gy significantly increased the fructose and sucrose content in stem, regarding control without irradiation, and the synthesis of fructooligosaccharides with a degree polymerization of 3, 4, 5 increased, suggesting induction of genes 1-SST and 1-FFT in the variants of Agave tequilana.