Editing Guide to hydroponics (section)

=== Mutations ===

You can mutate plants to A) change stats or B) mutate them into a different subspecies. To do this in a timely manner, you'll need to work with the [[Chemistry]] department.

* The agonizingly slow way is using '''E-Z Nutriment''' to make the plant mutate once every time it's ready to harvest. '''Left 4 Zed''' makes it mutate twice, but kills the yield!

* You can speed up the process to bearable levels by asking your local [[Chemist]] for a few bottles of '''[[Guide_to_chemistry#Unstable Mutagen|Unstable Mutagen]]'''.<br>

Pour 5 units on your plant and prepare for...

* 10% chance of '''mutation into a related species'''. This destroys the old plant and plants a new one. See the [[Guide_to_hydroponics#Plant reference chart|Plant reference chart]] for information on these mutations.
* 10% chance of the '''plant losing lots of health instantly'''. The plant can die because of this
* 15% chance of '''heavy stat mutation''' with a 3% chance of a new [[#Traits|trait]] appearing.
* 15% chance of '''normal stat mutation'''.
* 20% chance of '''nothing'''. You get a message when this happens.
* 10% chance of '''weeds mutating'''. If weed level is less than 5, nothing happens, otherwise you get a random, special mutated weed (Kudzu, Deathnettle, Destroying Angel, Liberty Cap).
* 10% chance of '''pests mutating'''. Again, if pest level is less than 5, nothing happens. Otherwise, spiderlings are spawned. 
** This is '''bad'''. If the spiderlings escape, they'll grow big and you'll likely get lynched. 

Or, if you don't want to bother with species mutation, pour 2 units for a guaranteed heavy stat mutation with a 3% chance of a new [[#Traits|trait]] appearing, or even 1 for a guaranteed normal stat mutation. This method is safe even if you don't have backup seeds, and you can use a bottle for it.

* You can use '''radium''' and '''uranium''', but they cause ill effects, and if you can get radium, you can get mutagen.

* R&D can also research a wonderful thing called a '''Floral Somatoray'''. It has two options: increase yield and mutate the plant. In yield more mode, every time you fire it at the plant, there is a chance the yield will increase. The chance becomes very small when you reach high levels, but it's very useful for low-yield plants. It can even raise yield from zero! In mutation mode, it will always induce a normal stat mutation.