Treatment of tip meristems at the stage of the emergence of two true leaves had
remarkable results, as after treatment, many of the treated plants were alive and
grew. Variations were also observed in characteristics of treated plants (Fig.17.1).
Results of studying stomata morphology and usingflow cytometry profiles
indicated that the application of colchicine induced tetraploidy in seedlings.
Tetraploid plants had stomata and stomata guard cells with larger diameter and
larger length than diploid plants (Table17.3, Fig.17.2). Other tetraploid plants had
stomata and stomata guard cells with larger diameter and length than diploid plants.
Similar results were reported onTanacetum parthenium (Majdi et al. 2010 ),
Anthurium andraeanum(Chen et al. 2011 ). Also, the decrease in stomatal density
as a result of induction of polyploidy were reported onJuncus effuses(Xu et al.
2010 ), Platanus acerifolia (Liu et al. 2007 ), jujube (Zizyphus jujuba Mill.)
(Gu et al. 2005 ).
Fig. 17.1 Side effects of treatment of Apical meristems of seedlings.aAbnormal leaves in
tetraploid sample,bdiploid Sample,cDual anddtriad in apical meristem
17 Induction of Polyploidy and Its Effect onCannabis sativaL. 373