Polyploidy in Rhododendron fortunei has great potential to improve its horticultural and commercial value, and to also meet market demands. In this study, a feasible method for polyploid induction in R. fortunei via colchicine treatment was established, and the obtained polyploid plants were identified and characterized. As a result, the stem bases of tissue-cultured plantlets treated with 0.1% colchicine for 24 h showed the highest polyploid induction with a rate of 36.67%. By flow cytometric analysis, 69 tetraploids and 29 octoploids were identified in the regenerated plants that were examined. Phenotypic analysis indicated that the leaves of tetraploid and octoploid plants were smaller, rounder and thicker with more abundant and longer epidermal hairs than those of diploids. Furthermore, the stomata of polyploids were larger and sparser than those of diploids. An increase in chlorophyll content was also detected in polyploids, which resulted in darker green leaves. In conclusion, our study established an effective method to induce polyploidy in R. fortunei, which could be used to develop new genetic resources for breeding R. fortunei and other Rhododendron species in the future.
Keywords: flow cytometry; plant stomata; polyploid; tetraploidy.