Comparison of Growth Characteristics and Yield in Boxthorn Tetraploid Lines (Lycium Chinense Mill.)
Background : Tetraploid plants are bigger in the size of fruits, leaves, stems, and roots than diploid plants due to bigger cells attributed to chromosome multiplication. The advantage of tetraploid plants includes breakdown of self-incompatibility and increase of disease resistance. This study was carried out to gain tetraploid resources for breeding of new boxthorn varieties having pest resistance, higher yield, and self-compatibility. Methods and Results : 10 Tetraploid lines by colchicine treatment were compared with diploid boxthorn varieties on growth and yield characteristics. Tetraploid lines induced from each varieties were C0148-10 and C0412-1 from Cheongyang-jaerae (CJ), M0148-94 and M0148-120 from Myongan (MA), B0148-43 and B0148-78 from Bulro (BL), D0148-62 and D0148-72 from Cheongdae (CD), and Y0148-2 and Y0148-24 from Youngha (YH). The ratio of stem diameter to stem length in tetraploid lines increased to 0.86 - 1.16 compared to 0.79 - 0.87 of the mother plants whereas number of branches decreased. The ratio of leaf length to width ranged from 2.0 to 3.3, lower than the mother plants. Leaf weight and chlorophyll content also increased compared to the mother plants. C0148-10, C0412-1, Y0148-2, and Y0148-24 showed 34~346% increase in dry fruit yield per 10a compared to mother plants. Conclusion : Above selected tetraploid lines had larger and heavier leaves and C0148-10, C0412-1, Y0148-2, and Y0148-24 were higher in fruit yield than mother plants that the selected tetraploid lines were expected as useful resources for new leaf vegetable and higher yield boxthorn varieties.