Most research on the use of physical and chemical mutagens for crop improvement in Indonesia are carried out at the Center for Research and Development of Isotopes and Radiation Technology, National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN). At the plant breedings section of this center, much progress has been achieved in term of facilities set-up (gamma irradiators, laboratory, greenhouse and experimental fields), manpower and expertise development. Mutation breeding activities were initially started in rice in 1972, in attempts to improve the protein content of rice grain. During this earlier time, researches on detecting more effective mutagen treatments, using physical and chemical mutagenesis, were conducted in different plant species.
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