​​Identifying Some Morphological Features of Mutant Quinoa Plants (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Abstract

Background: This research was carried out to obtain seeds from M1 and M2 level mutant plants of Titicaca cultivar of quinoa and to make some distinctive morphological observations. Methods: Sodium azide was applied to the Titicaca variety of quinoa in 2018 and planted in a random order on plots in the field to obtain seeds at M1 level. When the plants reached the maturity of the seed harvest, they were removed from the soil and the number of growing days, plant height, stem thickness, number of branches, biological yield, seed yield and harvest index were measured and calculated at the M2 generation study. The seeds obtained from the M1 generation were planted in the field. In the period when the plants had 3 leaves, total herbicide with imazamox active ingredient was applied to the green parts of the plants. Afterwards, resistant plants were determined and M2 seeds were produced. Then, some measurements were made by growing M2 seeds in vases under greenhouse conditions. Results from mutant plants were compared with control plants. Result: According to the measurements made, M1 generation it was seen that the average number of branches was statistically less in mutant plants than in control plants. No statistically significant difference was found between the measurements obtained from control and mutant plants for other features. However, according to the measurements made in the M2 generation, the difference between the values of the control and mutant plants was found to be statistically significant.