Effect of chemical mutagens and X-rays on morphological and physiological traits of tulips

The tulip (Tulipa sp.) is an ornamental plant producedby bulbs. Wild tulips are native to several areas of Iran, especially theAlborz and Zagros mountains. Endemic Iranian tulips are the originof some commercial cultivars of tulip, and mutagens are commonlyused to produce new traits and varieties. In this trial, X-rays wereapplied at 60, 70 and 80 kV; sodium azide (SA) at doses of 0.01%,0.02%, and 0.03%, and diethyl sulfate (DES) at doses of 0.1%, 0.2%and 0.4 on Kess Nelis and Jan Van Ness varieties of tulip. Morphophysiologicaltraits of the treated plants were measured. The resultsshowed that application of DES increased the fresh weight andnumber of bulbs, and decreased the number of offsets, main stemlength, leaf area, and total fresh weight. The results showed that SAhad a positive effect on most traits. All three doses of DES increasedthe flower longevity and all had an inverse effect on the anthocyanincontent of the petals.