Aug 2026· Plants· Vol 15· 0 citations· 67 references
Medicine
TL;DR
Overall, colchicine-induced polyploidization generated substantial physiological variability among independently derived tetraploid plants of P. vulgaris cv.
Abstract
Polyploidy is widely used in plant breeding to increase phenotypic variation and potentially improve stress-related traits; however, its effects in common bean remain poorly characterized. Here, colchicine-induced polyploidy was evaluated in Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Zorzal to determine whether tetraploid lines exhibit coordinated changes in stomatal anatomy, physiology, pigment composition, oxidative balance, and ploidy inheritance. Polyploidy was induced using different colchicine exposure regimes and confirmed by flow cytometry. Stomatal traits, gas-exchange parameters, photosynthetic pigments, oxidative stress markers, antioxidant capacity, and multivariate phenotypic relationships were subsequently analyzed in confirmed tetraploid lines. Colchicine treatments successfully generated tetraploid and mixoploid plants, although induction efficiency was highly variable among replicates. Tetraploid lines showed heterogeneous physiological responses, including increases in the photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance in some genotypes, but no consistent reduction in stomatal pore area index. Pigment composition and antioxidant-related traits also varied among lines, without a uniform response pattern. Multivariate analyses revealed coordinated but highly divergent phenotypic profiles among tetraploid genotypes. Importantly, the induced tetraploids were not stably transmitted to the C1 generation, with a predominance of diploid progeny among the evaluated offspring. Overall, colchicine-induced polyploidization generated substantial physiological variability among independently derived tetraploid plants of P. vulgaris cv. ‘Zorzal’; however, the predominance of diploid individuals among the evaluated C1 progeny indicates limited transmission of the induced tetraploid state to the subsequent generation.
Polyploidization can generate morphological and physiological variation in plants, but the molecular basis underlying leaf trait changes after genome doubling in grapevine remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to characterize phenotypic, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic differences between diploid and induced autotetraploid plants of ‘Thompson Seedless’ and to identify biological processes potentially associated with the observed leaf trait variation. In this study, autotetraploid plants were induced from axillary buds of ‘Thompson Seedless’ using colchicine treatment, and ploidy levels were confirmed by flow cytometry and chromosome counting. Phenotypic, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses were performed to compare diploid and tetraploid plants. Compared with diploids, tetraploids exhibited enlarged leaves, reduced plant stature, larger but less dense stomata, increased chloroplast number in guard cells, and higher total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Fv/Fm remained unchanged, whereas increased Vj and decreased ψEo and φEo suggested differences in electron transport-related characteristics beyond QA. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1564 differentially expressed genes, and metabolomic profiling detected 618 differentially accumulated metabolites. Integrated analyses highlighted coordinated molecular differences associated mainly with cell-wall processes, secondary metabolism, redox-related functions, and carbon-related pathways. These findings identify candidate biological processes for future functional validation and provide a basis for evaluating the potential value of autotetraploid germplasm in grapevine breeding.
Yuanxu Teng, Lipeng Zhang, Yue Song et al.· Horticulturae· 0 citations
Breeding Paspalum vaginatum has been limited to the diploid germplasm; however there is a rich diversity in closely related species that may be utilized. The species is diploid and outcrossing due to self-incompatibility. This research aimed to generate a chromosome-doubled tetraploid and evaluate the effects of chromosome doubling on phenotype and reproductive mode. Both seeds and seedlings from a diploid population were treated with 0.2% colchicine for either 24 or 48 h. Morphological, anatomical, and reproductive traits were evaluated in both cytotypes. Megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis were assessed using complementary histological and optical approaches, and seed set was evaluated under self- and open-pollination. A tetraploid genotype was successfully generated from seedlings treated with colchicine for 24 h with an efficiency of 0.2%. The size of tillers, leaves, inflorescences, stomata, and pollen grains increased in the tetraploid, which also exhibited darker green coloration and greater vigor. Embryo sac development was similar in both cytotypes, indicating that the induced tetraploid remained sexual. No seed set was observed under self-pollination, whereas limited seed set under open-pollination confirmed that the tetraploid is an outcrosser. This new tetraploid provides a valuable bridge parent for introgressing genetic variation from cross-compatible polyploid Paspalum species through interspecific hybridization and the manipulation of apomixis.
P. E. Novo, A. M. González, Matías Oscar Espindola et al.· Plants· 0 citations
Polyploidy shapes plant physiology and anatomy, yet the extent to which different ploidy levels influence drought responses remains unclear. Here, we investigated how ploidy affects cell-level coordination and functional traits associated with water transport and retention. We used glasshouse-grown plants of the carnation Dianthus broteri, a species complex composed of naturally distinct populations differing in cytotype: diploid (2×), low-polyploid (4×), and high-polyploid (6× and 12×). Leaf anatomical traits scaled with ploidy: higher-ploidy cytotypes exhibited larger stomata and pavement cells, with coordinated reductions in stomatal and vein densities. However, the 12× cytotype deviated from this trend and displayed higher gmin and thinner epicuticular wax. Stem xylem anatomical traits and hydraulic vulnerability were largely conserved, except for thicker intervessel pit membranes in 6× and 12× individuals, which correlated with delayed embolism spread (P25). Plant structure-function trait combinations indicate that cytotypes differ in water-use syndromes rather than aligning along a single dimension of drought response. Under drought conditions, lower ploidies maintained functional canopies through reduced water loss, whereas 12× showed a less conservative water-use strategy and seasonal canopy loss. Altogether, we provide new insights into how polyploidy can influence drought adaptation and survival strategies via anatomical and functional trait shifts.
J. López-Jurado, E. Mateos-Naranjo, F. Balao et al.· Plant, Cell and Environment· 0 citations
Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is a cactus species of considerable economic importance in agriculture and various nutritional applications. We aimed to establish a feasible method for polyploid induction in OFI using colchicine treatment, as well as to identify and characterize the resulting polyploid plants. Diploid cladodes were treated with 0.5% and 1.0% colchicine for 24 or 48 h to induce polyploidization. The results demonstrated that colchicine concentration and exposure duration influenced tetraploid induction, leading to statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in cladode size, shoot proliferation, and stomatal guard cell length and density. Higher concentrations of colchicine resulted in larger cladode dimensions and expanded guard cell sizes, along with increased shoot sprouting. In contrast, prolonged exposure durations caused reduced cladode dimensions and lower plant survival rates. Among the tested treatments, 1.0% colchicine for 48 h produced pronounced morphological responses, including increased cladode growth and reduced spine-to-spineless phenotype, although this treatment was also associated with reduced plant survival. Furthermore, induced tetraploid plants exhibited treatment-dependent increases in bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities. Specifically, 0.5% colchicine for 24 h yielded the highest total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacities (DPPH and FRAP), whereas 1.0% colchicine for 48 h significantly enhanced total phenolic content compared to control plants. Overall, the results indicate that colchicine-induced polyploidization can generate OFI variants with altered morphological characteristics and treatment-dependent bioactive profiles, providing potential breeding material for further evaluation.
Natthakitti Boonnak, S. Siriamornpun, P. Yangkhamman et al.· Horticulturae· 0 citations
Introduction Paris polyphylla is an endangered medicinal herb valued for its steroidal saponins, yet the phenotypic stability, genetic diversity, and quality differentiation of cultivated populations remain insufficiently understood. Methods In this study, 28 representative populations from Yunnan Province were evaluated under common-garden conditions using morphological, molecular, cytogenetic, genomic and phytochemical analyses. Results The populations showed generally synchronized phenological development but differed significantly in several agronomic traits. DNA barcoding based on ITS and trnL–trnF sequences achieved high amplification and sequencing success. Among the representative sequences examined, ITS exhibited greater haplotype richness and sequence variation than trnL–trnF. However, because each population was represented by only one consensus sequence, within-population variation and a conventional DNA barcode gap could not be evaluated. Flow cytometry and chromosome counting confirmed that all populations were diploid, although substantial variation in genome size and karyotype characteristics was observed. HPLC analysis further revealed marked differences in steroidal saponin composition and content among populations.Correlation analyses linked saponin variation to multiple agronomic traits, karyotypic features, and genome size. Exploratory partial least squares path modeling showed that temperature was positively associated with plant growth, whereas plant growth was negatively associated with the composite saponin profile. The model explained a limited proportion of the variation in the endogenous constructs, and the identified paths were interpreted as statistical associations rather than causal effects. Discussion Overall, this study clarifies the genetic and ecological drivers of saponin variation in cultivated P. polyphylla, providing an integrated framework for germplasm identification, quality evaluation, and sustainable utilization of cultivated resources.
Jinhui Jiang, Yi-Rong Qin, Zhongquan Yu et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
Rubus rosifolius
produces fruit with various beneficial bioactive compounds, but the fruit tastes sour and not tasty, thus making it unattractive and not cultivated. This study evaluated the effects of colchicine-induced on survival rate, polyploidy induction, and dryland adaptability of
Rubus rosifolius.
The results demonstrated that colchicine concentration significantly influenced both survival rate and mutation success. Increasing concentration reduced survival, with the highest mortality (60%) observed at 7.5 mM, but enhanced mutation frequency. Polyploid mutants, including two tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28) that stem cuttings originating from the mountains Sumbing and Sindoro, as well as one aneuploid (2n = 2x − 1 = 13), were successfully obtained. Under controlled drought stress conditions, polyploid mutants consistently outperformed the control in growth parameters, showing higher plant height, fresh weight, leaf number, and root length, indicating improved vigor and adaptability. In terms of yield, tetraploid mutants especially from Sindoro, produced significantly higher fruit weight, larger fruit size, and increased °Brix content compared to 2n plants, while aneuploid plants exhibited inferior performance. Overall, the results indicate that colchicine-induced polyploidy effectively improves both growth performance and fruit quality, highlighting its potential as a rapid strategy for developing superior and adaptive genotypes.
Aswin Hendry Atmoko, Renata Putri Lestari, Bagus Aradea et al.· BIO Web of Conferences· 0 citations
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