| Electronic Journal of Biotechnology
ISSN: 0717-3458 |
Vol. 9 No. 3, Special Issue, 2006 |
| © 2006 by Pontificia Universidad Católica
de Valparaíso -- Chile |
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| DOI: 10.2225/vol9-issue3-fulltext-8 |
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A new variety of Bacopa monnieri
obtained by in vitro polyploidization
Alejandro Salvio Escandón*
Instituto
de Floricultura INTA-Castelar
De los Reseros y Las Cabañas s/n (1712)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel/Fax: 54 11 4481 3864
E-mail: aescandon@castelar.inta.gov.ar
Juan Carlos Hagiwara
Instituto
de Floricultura INTA-Castelar
De los Reseros y Las Cabañas s/n (1712)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel/Fax: 54 11 4481 3864
E-mail: jhagiwara@cnia.inta.gov.ar
Liliana Marisol Alderete
Instituto
de Floricultura INTA-Castelar
De los Reseros y Las Cabañas s/n (1712)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tel/Fax: 54 11 4481 3864
E-mail: limarial@hotmail.com.ar
*Corresponding
author
Financial support:
INTA project number 1837.
Keywords:
colchicine, flow cytometry, ornamental plants, Scrophulariaceae,
tetraploid.
The commercial value
of Bacopa monnieri, a widespread herbaceous plant in Argentina,
can be substantially improved increasing its flower size by chromosome
doubling with colchicine. MS supplemented with 0.25 mg/L of 6-benzylaminopurine
proved to be an appropriate medium for the in vitro multiplication
of nodal segments of B. monnieri. Polyploidization was
achieved submerging nodal segments during 24 or 48 hrs in colchicine
solution 0.001 and 0.01% P/V, in 1% DMSO. Segments submerged in water
and in DMSO 1% aqueous solution were used as controls. DNA contents
from recovered plants was measured and characterized and their phenotype
described. Two tetraploid plants originated from independent events
were detected. These plants showed significant differences in size
and colour both in leaves and flowers compared to untreated controls.
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