colchicine

Acha (Fonio) Digitaria sp. is a valuable cereal crop widely cultivated in several African countries. The genetic improvement of Acha through induced mutagenesis has gained attention for enhancing desirable traits. Colchicine, a mitotic inhibitor, is commonly used to induce polyploidy, which can lead to alterations in plant characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine treatment on germination, plant height, and leaf count of two Acha species. Seeds from two Digitaria species, Digitaria exilis, and Digitaria iburua, were subjected to colchicine treatment using different concentrations (0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20g/dL). The control group was treated with distilled water. Germination rates were assessed by measuring the percentage of seeds that successfully sprouted. Plant height and leaf number were measured at maturity and analyzed using ANOVA on SPSS Version 26. The results indicated that colchicine treatment significantly affected germination, plant height, and leaf number in both Digitaria species. Germination rates varied depending on the concentration, with lower germination observed at higher concentrations (70.70% and 74.3% for 0.20g/dL treatment in both species). In terms of plant height, colchicine-treated Acha plants exhibited significant differences compared to the control group. The majority of treated plants showed increased growth (57.00 cm to 60.70 cm in D. exilis and 114.10 to 122.40 cm in D. iburua) compared to the control. Variability in plant height was observed among the treated plants, suggesting that colchicine-induced polyploidy had varying effects on height across different genotypes. Similarly, the number of leaves was affected by colchicine treatment. Treated plants exhibited an increase in leaf number (56.70 to 60.7 for D exilis and 32.60 to 36.30 for D. iburua), compared to the control group (49.7 and 29.7 respectively). This variability suggests that colchicine-induced polyploidy may have influenced leaf development and growth patterns in Acha. Colchicine treatment had significant effects on germination, plant height, and leaf count in both varieties of Acha. The results suggest that colchicine-induced polyploidy can alter these plant characteristics. These findings provide insights into the potential use of colchicine treatment for inducing desirable traits in Acha through polyploidization, which may have implications for crop improvement and breeding programs. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and assess the impact of these alterations on overall agronomic performance and yield potential.

The present study investigated the effects of colchicine treatment on leaf length, leaf width, and leaf area index (LAI) in two species of Acha (fonio), namely Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. Colchicine, a potent mitotic inhibitor, has been widely used to induce polyploidy and in studying the effects of genome duplication on various morphological traits. This study aimed to explore if colchicine treatment could alter the leaf morphology of the two Acha species. Seeds of the two species were treated with colchicine solution at various concentrations (0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g/dL), while a control group was maintained without any treatment. Leaf length and width were measured using a meter rule, and LAI was calculated by multiplying the leaf length and leaf width with the constant for both species. Statistical analysis was performed using the Analysis of Variance on SPSS to determine significant differences between treated and control groups. The results showed that colchicine treatment had a significant effect on leaf morphology in both Acha species. Leaf length and width increased significantly in response to colchicine treatment, with the degree of increase depending on the concentration. Moreover, the LAI also exhibited a significant increase in treated plants compared to the control group. Colchicine concentration level of 0.10 g/dLproduced the best results that can be exploited to enhance the morphological characteristics of both Acha species. The findings suggest that colchicine-induced polyploidy can enhance leaf growth and overall leaf area in Acha plants, leading to potential implications for agricultural productivity and yield improvement. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and long-term effects of colchicine-induced polyploidy on other growth parameters, reproductive traits, and yield in Acha. Understanding the genetic and physiological changes associated with polyploidy in Acha species will contribute to the development of improved breeding strategies and cultivation practices for this important cereal crop.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of colchicine treatment on the reproductive traits and grain yield of two species of Acha, Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. Colchicine, a mitotic inhibitor, is known for inducing polyploidy and altering plant characteristics. The study focused on evaluating number of spikes, spike length, number of seeds per spike, and grain yield per hectare. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatment groups included colchicine-treated plants at varying concentrations (0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 g/dL) and control plants (untreated). The colchicine treatment involved the soaking of both Acha species in the colchicine solution for a period of 24 hours. While the control groups were soaked in distilled water. The results showed that colchicine treatment significantly affected the agronomic traits and grain yield of both Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. Colchicine treatment led to an increase in the number of spikes (5.80 and 9.90 for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively), spike length (13.60 cm and 19.50 cm for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively), and number of seeds per spike (168.30 and 253.30 for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively), compared to the control group. Additionally, the grain yield per hectare was significantly higher (427.80gha-1 and 2126.70gha-1 for D. exilis and D. iburua respectively) in the colchicine-treated group. These findings suggest that colchicine treatment can effectively enhance the agronomic traits and grain yield of both Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua. The induced polyploidy through colchicine treatment likely contributed to the observed improvements in plant productivity. Further research is warranted to investigate the underlying mechanisms and to optimize the colchicine treatment protocol for Acha cultivation and improvement.