Mutagenic Effects of Sodium Azide on the Quality of Maize Seeds

This project was conducted to determine the mutagenic effects of sodium azide on the quality of maize seed. Maize seeds were treated at six different concentrations of sodium azide namely; 0.00mM, 0.01mM, 0.02mM, 0.03mM, 0.04mM and 0.05mM. The seeds that were treated were of two varieties namely; Sammaz 18 and Sammaz 20. The result obtained showed that sodium azide was effective in causing mutagenic change in the quality of maize seeds in terms of growth rate and seed size. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in all the two varieties with respect to some of the traits studied and nutritional compositions studied. The number of days to 50% flowering and Nitrogen-free extract (%) increased significantly with an increase in concentrations of sodium azide. Chlorophyll-deficient mutants were observed in treatments 0.02mM, 0.03mM and 0.04mM which were striata and light green in colour. Dwarfed mutant was also recorded in treatment 0.04mM of Sammaz 20 maize variety. The project was carried out to find out the effectiveness of sodium azide on the mutagenesis of maize seeds, seed weight of mutant maize plant, nutrient content of the mutant maize plant and the morphological features of the mutant maize plant. I recommend that chemical mutagens like sodium azide to produce improved seed varieties like of maize plants that will meet the present global and national food need.