Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF COLCHICINE ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF CHINA ASTER (CALLISTEPHUS CHINENSIS NEES.)

N.A. Kazi, S.K. Chavan and S.D. Masalkar

Abstract

An experiment entitled, “Effect of colchicine on growth and flowering of China aster (Callistephus chinensis L.)”, was carried out with objective of studying morphological and reproductive changes in China aster due to colchicine treatment. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design with ten treatments viz., T1 (0.1% colchicine for 6 hours), T2 (0.1% colchicine for 9 hours), T3 (0.1% colchicine for 12 hours), T4 (0.2% colchicine for 6 hours), T5 (0.2% colchicine for 9 hours), T6 (0.2% colchicine for 12 hours), T7 (0.3% colchicine for 6 hours), T8 (0.3% colchicine for 9 hours), T9 (0.3% colchicine for 12 hours), T10 (control) replicated thrice with 5 plants per treatment. Highest duration of flowering (32.00 days) was observed in Treatment T2, T5 and T10.Treatment T6 was significant for plant spread (N-S) (20.50cm) and number leaves per plant (60.50). Treatment T7 was significant for diameter of flower (5.23 cm) and yield of flowers per plant (27.85 g). Treatment T7 and T8 recorded highest number of flowers per plant (9.67). Treatment T8 recorded highest number of branches per plant (6.83). Treatment T10 (control) was significantly superior for survival percentage (93.99 %) and thickness of stem (2.65 cm) over rest of treatments. Treatment T10 was found significant for plant height (74.83 cm), leaf area (28.79 sq. cm) and weight of flower (2.97g). Treatment T2 and T10 (control) were found significantly superior over rest of treatments for inter nodal length by recording 2.02 and 2.22cm respectively. There was no significant difference in control and treated plants for characters like hairiness of stem, days to first flower bud initiation, days required for flowering, hairiness of flower stalk and crop duration. Gigantism was observed in this experiment with 0.2% and 0.3% colchicine for 12 hours.