dc.description.abstract | Maize is the second most important food source after rice. Genetic
improvement in corn plants can be done through mutation breeding activities that
will produce phenotypic changes that are useful in increasing genetic diversity in
corn plants. This study aims to identify phenotypic changes that appear due to the
effect of colchicine treatment on two tested corn varieties. This research was
conducted at Jalan Sedayu Raya, Tanjung Gusta, Sunggal District, Deli Serdang
Regency, North Sumatra and at the Biology Laboratory of the Faculty of
Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of North Sumatra from September
2022 to April 2023. This study used the method of group randomized design (RAK)
with soaking treatment at the same time of 12 hours and with 2 treatment factors.
The first factor is variety (V): V1 (Bonanza F1), V2 (Purple Srikandi). The second
factor is colchicine concentration (K): K0 (0 ppm), K1 (250 ppm), K2 (500 ppm).
The observed variables were chromosome observation (number of chromosomes
and karyotype), quantitative characters (plant height, number of leaves, male
flowering age, female flowering age, harvest age, number of cobs per plant, cob
length, number of seeds per cob, number of rows per cob, 100 seed weight per plot
and production weight per plant), qualitative characters (male flower color, female
flower color, seed color and seed shape). The results showed that the
administration of colchicine at a concentration of 250 ppm produced aneupoliploid
chromosomes and at a concentration of 500 ppm produced tetraploid
chromosomes. The concentration of colchicine had a significant effect on the
parameters of plant height 5-6 weeks after planting, number of leaves 4-6 weeks
after planting, female flowering age, harvest age, cob length, number of seeds per
cob and weight of 100 seeds per plot. In the qualitative character of seed color,
there are differences in the color of seeds produced in each treatment
concentration, in the V1K0 treatment produces yellow seeds, in V1K1 produces
orange yellow seeds, in V1K2 produces orange seeds and in the V2K0 treatment
produces purple seeds, in V2K1 produces purplish red seeds and in V2K2 produces
reddish seeds. The interaction between varieties and colchicine concentration had
no significant effect on all parameters. | en_US |