Abstract:
Seeds of five sesame cultivars: T-85, Serra, EM-14, Anyana and S were irradiated with 0, 200, 300, 400,
600 and 800 Gy doses of gamma rays. Irradiated seeds together with their controls were planted in 1995 to
produce Mi plants. Records were taken on germination percentage after four days and three weeks, and vigour
also after three weeks of germination. Much decline in growth was recorded from the doses of 600 and 800 Gy.
Five capsules/plant from each variety per dose were harvested to grow M2 progenies. 276 single plants were
selected out of 2,636 plants from all the treated varieties. Out of 276 plants selected and planted, 30 progeny
rows of those single plants were further selected to be tested in a preliminary yield trial. From five varieties about
7,000 seeds per dose per variety have again been irradiated with 300,400, 500, and 600 Gy gamma rays