Mutation Breeding as a Tool for Sustainable Crop Production and Climate Resilience: Experiences from the South-Eastern Europe (SEE) and Central Asia (CA)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The review summarizes practical experiences in using mutation breeding for crop improvement in South-Eastern Europe (SEE) and Central Asia (CA), demonstrating that mutation breeding can be a field-validated, effective approach for developing climate-resilient crops. Drawing on coordinated research conducted within national breeding programs and international initiatives supported by FAO/IAEA, applied methodologies, trait-evaluation strategies, and concrete breeding outputs in cereals, legumes, and industrial crops are presented. The use of gamma irradiation, fast neutrons, and chemical mutagens has successfully generated stable mutant lines stable mutant lines with enhanced traits, such as increased thousand-grain weight in wheat, altered oil quality in sunflower, and improved drought tolerance in common bean and sesame. The integration of classical pedigree selection with modern breeding tools such as high-throughput phenotyping, molecular and biochemical markers, and doubled-haploid technology has enabled earlier and more efficient identification of superior genotypes in mutation breeding programs. The review underscores the practical relevance of mutation breeding in contemporary pipelines to maintain yield stability and quality under adverse environmental conditions.
Source: Agronomy
Authors: Sandra Cvejić, Aleksandra Radanović, Dragana Trkulja, Svetlana Glogovac, Igor Vukelić, Mirela Kajkut Zejković, Marina Antić, Sonja Umićević, Jasmin Grahić, Mirjana Jankulovska, Nadica Sandeva Atanasova, Biljana Kuzmanovska, Boris Lazarević, Eleni Abraham, Eleni Tani, Efi Sarri, Dimitrios N. Vlachostergios, Christos Petsoulas, Anastasia Kargiotidou, Chrysanthi Pankou, Rustam Usmanov, Bakytzhan Anapiyayev, Konirsha Iskakova, Nasya Tomlekova, Emilia Nacheva, Daniela Ganeva, Sibel Aziz, Ali Şenay, Hayrettin Peşkircioğlu, Emine Seçer, Aslıhan Göktuğ, Kadriye Yaprak Kantoğlu, Jolanta Kwasniewska, Siniša Jocić, Ankica Kondić Špika, Dragana Miladinović
Institutions: Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, University of Banja Luka, University of Sarajevo, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, University of Zagreb, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Agricultural University of Athens, Hellenic Agricultural Organization - DIMITRA, Institute of Genetics and Plant Experimental Biology of the Academy Sciences of Uzbekistan, Satbayev University, Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Academy, Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Türkiye Enerji Nükleer ve Maden Araştırma Kurumu, University of Silesia in Katowice
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Climate action
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
Award: G7448301456
OpenAlex ID: W7172303845