Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding (The)

Colchicine induced autotetraploid-seeds of four variaties of Brassica campestris L. var. brown sarson were grown in C₃ generation and a comparative study was made between tetraploid and diploid plants. The autotetraploid plants manifested low germination and survival and showed slow growth rate, delayed flowering and fruiting. They were generally late in maturity and manifested gigas characteristics for most of the morphological characters. The tetraploid plants possessed a higher number of sturdier branches and leaves, greater diameter of stomata and pollen grains, high pollen and ovule sterility and poor seed setting. The seed setting was, however, improved in the C₃ generation.

Since seed setting improved in the C₃ generation as compared to C₂ it is likely that higher fertility may be restored through the adoption of suitable selection procedures.