Para-fluorophenylalanine-induced aneuploidy in Alocasia

Abstract

Effects of para-fluorophenylalanine (PFP) on chromosome numbers were investigated in Alocasia micholitziana 'Green Velvet' (2n=28). When shoot tips were cultured in vitro in liquid or agar media containing various concentrations of PFP, high concentrations were found to inhibit shoot growth and induce abnormal mitoses and, consequently, variations in the chromosome numbers in root tips. Among a total 2,572 cells observed cytologically, 37.6% of the cells exhibited mitotic abnormalities and chromosome number variations. The elimination of three or five chromosomes occurred in 10.6 and 6.3% of the cells, respectively. From 312 plants examined, 22 (7.1%) were aneuploid plants.