Gamma-ray sensitivity and gene expression responses to methyl jasmonate treatment for the radiation breeding of the Hyangcho and KB113LC tobacco cultivars ( <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> L.) at different stages

The study findings support the introduction of a practical framework for stage- and genotype-specific γ-ray mutagenesis in tobacco, guided by the timing of MeJA-responsive gene activations. Based on the literature, MeJA pretreatment is assumed to potentially increase mutagenesis efficiency; our data define optimal conditions for testing this hypothesis, supporting the development of tobacco mutant populations, including low-nicotine tobacco lines aligned with evolving public health guidelines.