A STUDY OF KING GRASS (PENNISETUM-PURPUREUM SP) MUTANTS OBTAINED BY NUCLEAR TECHNIQUES AND CHEMICAL MUTAGENS .2. MORPHOLOGICAL INDICATORS

The morphological indicators of king grass (Pennisetum purpureum sp) o btained by the application of nuclear techniques (CUBA MF, 1000, 12, 1 8, 24, 30, 40 and 50 and chemical mutagens (CUBA MQ 1 and 2) were stud ied in a random block design with 4 replications. The lowest (P < 0.05 ) internode distance (12.51 cm) was found in CUBA MF 24. With the exce ption of CUBA MF 30, the stem thickness of the mutants were larger (P < 0.001) to the control during the dry season; in the rainy season dif ferences were less marked. There were differences (P < 0.05) between m utants for the leaf insertion angle and it varied between 23.43 and 30 .63 and between 13.42 and 21.42 in the dry and rainy seasons, respecti vely. The greatest number of leaves with 50% or more of chlorosis was present (P < 0.001) in CUBA MF 12, 18, 40, 50, CUBA MQ 1 and 2 during the dry season, while in the rainy season it only occurred in CUBA MF 1000 and 18. In both seasons, the leaf length of the CUBA MF 1000 and CUBA MQ 2 was superior (P < 0.001) to the control. There were signific ant differences in the sheath length between mutants with a range of v alues of 18.73 - 22.83 and of 22.37 - 25.67 in the dry and rainy seaso ns, respectively. Results show the possibility of obtaining mutants by the use of nuclear techniques and chemical mutagens, being prominent the CUBA MF 1000, 12, 18, 24, CUBA MQ 1 and 2, although further studie s are required.