Читать книгу Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding - George Acquaah - Страница 79

Evolution is driven by mutations that arise spontaneously in the population. Since the discovery in 1928 by H. Muller of the mutagenetic effects of X‐rays on the fruit fly, the application of mutagens (physical and chemical) have been exploited by plant breeders to induce new variation. Mutation breeding is a recognized scheme of plant breeding that has yielded numerous successful commercial cultivars, in addition to being a source of variation.