Abstract
Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a dioecious plant. In vitro sex modification in mulberry by using two chemicals, viz., ethrel and silver nitrate, is described. 2-Chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethrel) and silver nitrate were filter sterilized and added to Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 5 µM 6-benzyl amino purine (BA). Ethrel applied at different concentrations produced female, male and mixed inflorescences in male mulberry nodal cuttings. Maximum 13.6% female inflorescences were observed on media containing 2000 µg l−1 ethrel. The induction of male, female and mixed inflorescences was observed in female plants after applying silver nitrate to the culture medium. The number of male inflorescences increased with the silver nitrate concentration to a maximum of 22.4% induction on 2500 µg l−1. Bisexual flowers were also observed along with male and female flowers in silver nitrate treated plants.
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Dennis Thomas, T. In Vitro Modification of Sex Expression in Mulberry (Morus Alba) by Ethrel and Silver Nitrate. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture 77, 277–281 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TICU.0000018390.65934.93
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:TICU.0000018390.65934.93