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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 12 No. 4 (2025)

Gamma ray-induced mutations in hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) for enhanced industrial and medicinal traits

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.8261
Submitted
14 March 2025
Published
06-10-2025 — Updated on 17-10-2025
Versions

Abstract

Mutation breeding is a powerful tool for inducing genetic diversity and facilitating the development of crops with novel and desirable traits. These genetic variations will consequently expand available germplasm of a crop. This study aimed to create hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) mutants with enhanced industrial and medicinal characteristics through gamma irradiation. Two seed groups i.e., pre-irradiation hydropriming (G1) and post-irradiation hydropriming (G2) were subjected to four gamma radiation doses (150 Gy, 300 Gy, 450 Gy and 600 Gy) using a Co60 source. Seeds were hydro primed before radiation exposure in G1 and after irradiation in G2 for 12 hrs. Higher doses of radiation led to greater phenotypic variation among the surviving plants. Out of forty isolated mutants, six exhibited significant improvements. Mutant ‘M1’ (G1D1) showed superior industrial traits including increased plant height, stem thickness and shoot weight, while, ‘M31’ (G2D3) demonstrated medicinal traits such as enhanced axillary shoots, trichome number and trichome size. These mutants will be advanced for potential use as new industrial and medicinal varieties of hemp. Variants with superior traits may be included in future breeding programs as well.

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