Vol. 8 No. (1): 95 - 100 (2017): EFFECTS OF COLCHICINE ON SOME AGRO-MORPHOLOGICAL TRAITS OF PHASEOLUS LUNATUS (L.) AT M1 AND M2 GENERATION

The mutagenic effects of colchicine on the agro-morphological traits at M1 and M2
generations of P. lunatus were studied. Seeds of the P. lunatus obtained from local
farmers within Zaria, was treated with colchicine at various concentrations of 0.2mM,
0.4mM, 0.6mM and 0.8mM before they were sown with their respective control
(0.00mM), to assess the effects of the different concentration of the mutagen on the
plant at M1 and M2 generation. The result revealed that the effects of the chemical
mutagen, varied with the concentration. However, lower concentration (0.2mM) of
colchicine favored percentage germination, days to first and 50% flowering while
higher concentration (>0.2mM) enhanced some yield traits such as pod length, pod
diameter, number of pods per plant, number of seed per pod, pod weight and 100 seeds
weight. Agro-morphological data obtained in this study were significant at p≤0.05.