INDUCED FLOWER COLOUR MUTATIONS IN CARNATION THROUGH IN VITRO APPLICATION OF CHEMICAL MUTAGEN

Abstract

Axillary bud explants of carnation were subjected to mutagenic treatment with ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) under in vitro conditions through media supplementation (MS) (0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.100 per cent) or explant agitation (EA) (0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 per cent). EMS, at the dose rates of 0.025 and 0.050 per cent in culture medium and 0.25 per cent used for explant agitation, showed stimulatory effect on sprouting, number of shoots, number of flowers and flower initiation, while higher doses of 0.075 and 0.100 per cent under MS and 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 per cent employed for EA caused damage to all vegetative and floral characters. Two colour mutants, viz. red with white stripes and pink with white stripes were isolated from the mutagen treated population.