Chemically Induced Mutants of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis Maintained Stable

9 Investigation was made to confirm the stability of drought and salt stress tolerance in 10 cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var.botrytis) mutants after regeneration and micropropagation. 11 The N-nitroso-N-ethyleurea (NEU) and N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU) induced mutants of 12 cauliflower were created and screened for drought and salt stress tolerance. The highly 13 tolerant mutants were selected, regenerated by tissue culture techniques, screened again for 14 drought and salt tolerance under in-vitro and in-vivo conditions, correlated the response of in15 vitro and in-vivo plants within a clone. Free proline levels in clones were correlated with 16 stress tolerance. Results confirmed the persistence of mutations in clones with enhanced 17 resistance levels to stresses over control plants. The regenerated in-vitro and in-vivo plants 18 within a clone showed a positive significant correlation for drought (R 2 =0.663) and salt (R 2 = 19 0.647) resistance that confirms the stability of mutation in clones after generations. Proline 20 showed a positive and significant correlation with drought (R 2 =0.524) and salt (R 2 =0.786) 21 tolerance. Conclusively; drought and salt resistance can be successfully enhanced in 22 cauliflower by chemical mutagenesis. Further molecular analysis is recommended to study 23 these mutants. 24