Phenotypic and molecular characterization of polyploidy Vicia faba induced by colchicine

To induce polyploidy in diploid control plant of Vicia faba, seeds were socked in various concentrations of colchicine (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 %) for 9 and18 h. Putative ploidy plants were confirmed by screening morphological characters, measuring DNA content via spectrophotometer and analyzing stomatal behavior. Polyploidy plants showed slower growth rate along with increased potency and thickened large leaves. Three types of polyploidy were achieved; triploid, tetraploid and mixoploid. In induced polyploid plants, the length and width of stomata were increased, while the index of stomata was declined, in comparison to the initial diploid plants. Treatment with 0.3 and 0.4 % colchicine for 9 and 18 h were efficiently induced polyploidy. The highest stomatal size (22.53 µm) and widest stomatal aperture (9.72 µm) and the lowest stomatal index (34.24) where obtained when 0.4 % of colchicine where applied at 18hr tested time with high significant differences at p<0.05 in comparison to dipliod plants. We recommend this method for induction of polyploids in other different crops and possibly will selected these tetraploid plants for further breeding purposes.