INFLUENCE OF COLCHICINE TREATMENTS ON THE MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF THE OKRA SEEDLINGS

The effect of the treatments with colchicine determines the doubling of the number of chromosomes, but can also induce mutations being often used in breeding works to induce variability. Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (syn. Hibiscus esculentus L.) is an economically important vegetable plant grown in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate areas with a warmer climate for multiple nutritional and medicinal properties. In the present paper, 0.1% colchicine treatments were performed on the okra seeds. Five variants with different exposure times were experimented and observations were made after seven days on the length and thickness of the roots and the hypocotyl. The treatment with colchicine induced the modification of the morphological characters, resulting in seedlings with short and thickened roots and hypocotyls. The maximum effect was recorded in variant no. 5 with 2 hours exposure