GENETIC-VARIABILITY IN PLANTS REGENERATED FROM IN-VITRO CULTURE OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS-ANNUUS L)

In vitro regenerated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants (R(1)) we re self-fertilized and the R(2) generation was evaluated for qualitati ve traits. A broad range of phenotypic variation was observed and muta tion frequencies were calculated. Some in vitro induced variant phenot ypes were similar to known spontaneous or induced mutations in sunflow er, while others were new. Chlorophyll and carotenoid deficiencies, ch imaerical variegation, fasciated stem and capitulum, abnormal shoot de velopment, and other morphological variations, were noted. Substitutio n of anthers with petaloid structures in a disk-floret mutant indicate s a possible homeotic mutation induced by in vitro tissue culture.